01 L^ -^-->^ or JHE -<» Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924011490426 Cornell University Library BX 7343.R72A3 1880 Autobiography of Elder Samuel Rogers. 3 1924 011 490 426 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ELDER SAMUEL ROGERS. ELDER JOHN I. ROGERS. CINCINNATI: STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY, 180 ELM STREET. 1880. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1880, by John I. Rogers, in the ofiEice of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. stereotyped by Campbell &. Coupanv, Cincinnati. INTRODUCTION. Bretheen of superior wisdom, and on whose judgment I rely, having urged me to give the world the benefit of my father's autobiography, I have endeavored to answer their wishes, though in an imperfect manner ; and in the form of this unpretending volume to give mankind a part of the experiences of one whose toils and travels in the cause of his Master began almost with the begin- ning of the present century, and have continued well- nigh to the present day. Abundant material has been at hand, in the form of letters, and articles from our periodicals, to make a volume twice as large as this; but we have chosen to give his own account of his work, and as nearly as possible in his own language, leaving men to form their own judgment concerning his eventful life. We regret that the plan of this volume has made it necessary to cut off so many chapters ^nd parts of chapters of his autobiography, which might have been interesting and profitable to the reader. Doubtless there will be found many errors in the book, but we think they are not of a nature to impair its use- fulness. As it is, we commit it to the world, praying that it may be as good seed sown in good ground, bring- ing fruit abundantly to the praise of God. iv Inteodttction. Th§ concluding years of my beloved father were his happiest. Being quite deaf, and almost blind, be gave himself to meditations upon things divine. His hope grew brighter every day. He conversed as one whose home is beyond the clouds. He dwelt by faith in regions so sublime, that he was enabled to see all things, even the darkest clouds, from the heaven-side. When anyone inquired of him if he wer» not lonesome, being in his room so much alone, he answered promptly, "No, for God is always with me." He retained his mind and memory in full vigor to the last moment of life. When informed that he had but a few moments to live, he was exceeding joyful ; and turning his almost sightless eyes upwards, he said, " Is it possible that the old pilgrim is so near his journey's end ? O, to think that in a few minutes I shall meet my Father, who has led me all the journey through ; and Jesus, my blessed Saviour ; and that I shall so soon be with the soldiers of the cross who have gone before ; and then to meet your mother, and your little children [addressing me] — this is joy too great to express ! " — and closing his own eyes, heJ slept the blessed sleep. May such an end be mine, and yours, dear reader, is my prayer. John I. Eogees. CiNOiHNATi, August 12, 1880. CONTENTS. CHAPTBB I. PAOB Birth In Virginia.— ShuIgratiOD to Kentucky.— Settlement near Danville in the year 1793.— Eemoval to Clark county.— Manners and customs of those times. 1 CHAPTBB II. His father makes a prospecting tour westward.— Passes O'Post, now Vincennes. — Crosses the Mississippi at Paincourt, now St. Louis.— Purchases land on the Missouri, twenty miles above Bt. Louis.— Bemoves with his family to his new home, in 1801.— He is pleased with his new home.— Fertile lands.— Wild game and fruits.— The first water-mill,— Night overtakes him in the forest. — He Is pursued by wolves.— Makes a narrow escape.— Fisliing and swim- ming his delight. .......... 7 CHAPTBB III. The cession of the territory to the United States In 1803.— Lewis and Clark.— They winter In the vicinity.— Emigration is stimulated.— The dawn of civil- ization.— The first preachers.- His father sells out and returns to Kentucky. — He settles Bourbon, now Nicholas county.— Marriage.— A grateful trib- ute to his wife and mother-in-law.— Conversion under the preaching of Stone and Dooley. .......... 13 CHAPTBB IV. Declaration of war.- He enlists under Metcalf.— St. Mary's.— Fort Defiance- Meigs. — Dudley 'a defeat. — Sickness. — Left to die in a blockhouse.— His friends save him.— His arrival at home.— Becruiting service.— End of the war.— Demoralization.- Fortunate appearing of Beuben Dooiey. — Eevival at Old Concord.— Habits of the young converts.— All pray.— Most of them exhort. — Views In regard to conversion, and the call to the ministry.- Strange notions concerning Providence. . . . . . .17 CHAPTBB V. Trial by the Shakers.— Preaching in Lewis county.— Disgraceful scene. — His opinion of those who misbehave on occasions of baptism.— A tour. — The preacher and the horse cared for.- The King's Bounty, a cut nine-pence.— The wife's parting words. — At Falmouth. — Shaking hands. — In Preble county, Ohio.— The Dooleys and others.- Meeting in the woods.— Scores of mouruers.— Mourners' benches abolished. . . . . . .25 CHAPTBB VI. Going to 'William M. Irvin's. — Misdirection.- A strange Providence.— Eobert Long— Development of God's purpose.— A great meeting in the woods.— He sees the hand of Ood, and determines to remove with his family. , . 31 V. vi Contents. CHAPTEB VII. I'AGB Removes to CUnton county, Ohio — Birth of John I. Sogers, In 1819.— Organiza- tion of the congregation nowcalledAntioch.— His ordination.— Sister Wor- ley assists.— Keturn home.— Forty persons inunersed at the first meeting.— The Macedonian cry.— Night baptisms,— Harvey's dream.— His conversion. — Mrs, Hodson's dream and baptism. . . . . . ■ • 3fi CHAPTER VHI. Building a house of worship. — He names it Antioch. — A few do the work.— Grateful tribute to the people, and especially to his wife. . . . .43 CHAPTER IX. Call from Missouri.- He and James Hughes start together.- They camp out.— Cook their own meals on the way,— How they made a fire.— He goes alone to Howard county. — Wild beasts.— Glorious sunrising. — A burning prairie.— Awful reflections.— The contrast. — Finds Thomas McBride, who was over- come with good news.— Return.— Stays all night with a colored man.— Was happy. — After severe trials and dangers arrives at home in safety, having been three mouths out. ..,,..... 46 CHAPTER X. Wentworth Roberts baptized for remission, in the year Iffil.- Stone on baptism for reioission.— Bavid Jamison baptized for remission.— George Shideler a like convert.— Dr. B. P. Hall.— Talbert Fanning.— James E. Matthews. . 55 CHAPTER XI. Tour with Hughes to Missouri.— Cummins Brown. — Ihe had ever attempted to entertain. I am inclined to think that he was partial to my house, because my wife under- stood better than most women the kind of entertain- ment a young preacher ought to have. Most persons feel that when a preacher is about the house, he must not be allowed to stay alone for a single moment, but must be either kept busy talking or listening, from morning to night ; whereas nothing is so agreeable to the preacher as being left alone, especially if he should be aii great a student and as fond of his books as brotheir Kaines was. I would not convey the idea that Brother Raines was either grim or tactiturn. On the contrary, he was really fond of conversation when the subject was one of any interest, and but few men were more gifted in conversa- tion than he, when the theme or the subject inspired him. He had no taste, however, for frivolous or light conversation, and studiously avoided the company of young ladies. In all my acquaintance with men, I have never known a more modest and prudent young preacher than Aylett Raines was. He was, in all his intercourse with society, without reproach and above'suspicion. He used to say, that when ready to marry, he would make a business of it, and search until he found a Chris- tian woman who would make a wife suitable for a preacher, and if they could agree upon the terms, he would marry without much courting, and without ceremony or parade. In due time he accomplished his object, and in the mariner proposed. Having become acquainted with the daughter of William Cole, an eminent lawyer of Wilmington, Ohio, he married her, and a better selec- tion of a woman for a preacher's wife could not have been made. I knew her when she was a girl, and have fi 122 Autobiography of known her well as the wife of Brother Raines ; and take J)leasure in saying that she was true to her Saviour, aithful to the best interests of her family, practical in her domestic affairs, and, ta;ken all in all, was such a woman as few preachers have either the good sense or the good fortune to find. During the labors of Brother Raines in Clinton, he received two or three challenges for debate ; but I think among all his adversaries, but one ever met him, and he became so completely demoralized after the first round, that he left the field in a most ridiculous and disgrace- ful manner. Raines was a moral hero — a soldier of no mean metal, ever ready to hurl the arrows of truth with fierceness and unerring precision against the citadel of his Master's foes. Yet he was a dignified and polite antagonist, never condescending to use vulgar means to obtain the victory over his adversary. After his marriage, it was not long before he moved to Paris, Kentucky, since which time his name, as a sound and able expounder of God's Word, has stood at the head of the list of gospel preachers in this Reforma- tion. I will conclude by saying, that he had fewer foibles, and more strong points, as a gospel preacher, than one out of a hundred of the pioneer preachers of the Reformation. I shall soon go home, and shall ex- pect to see among the first comers, at the gate, my dear brother Aylett; and when we have shaken hands, we will sit down together and talk over the toils and the victories of the olden times. Eldee Samuel Eogebs. 123 CHAPTEE XX. Our worship then .and now. — The contrast. — In bondage. — Sighing for freedom.— The bait of the enslaver. — Had the right creed. — Our advantage. — Rebaptism. In those days we were emphatically a Bible people. The Scriptures were our daily study; we attempted to do noth- ing, either as a church or as individuals, without the divine warrant. As we were assembled together to worship on the Lord's day, we resembled more a school of children, with text-books in hand, than a modern congregation of worshipers. In fact, between the religious worship of that day and this, there appears to me to be almost no resemblance at all. We occupied the time then chiefly in reading and expounding the Scriptures, and in the breaking of the loaf. Now the sermon is the main source of attraction; and, in too many instances, that is but a string of sickly sentiments, poorly calculated to impart vigor to the soul, or to edify the body of Christ. We then delighted in the law of the Lord ; now, we de- light in the eloquence of the preacher. Then the chief object of our worship was to please God ; now, it is to please the multitude. When I speak of these things, I am told that the times change, and we must keep up with the times ; that such old-time service would drive the people away, and leave us nothing but empty pews. I answer, that it would be better to have a few empty pews than to have the pews filled with so many empty heads and hearts. We had better fall behind the times than to go beyond the bounds of Apostolic doctrine. I am now, and have always been, afraid to follow the times, lest they lead me clear out of sight of Christ and the Apostles. I had rather have a few hearers and Jesus in the midst, than to have ever so many hearers, and be without Him. 124 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF Having been in the bondage of Egypt, and having felt the scorpion lash of sectarianism, I know, as those who were free-born can never know, how sweet a thing it is to enjoy the light and liberty of the gospel of truth, both as to faith and practice. Our children think us in ^ur dotage, and that we see ghosts and hobgoblins where no real danger exists. But I know what I am talking about, and would warn them against any, even the slight- est, departure from the plain teaching of the word of God. I am willing to be liberal, and will be as far as it is lawful ; but I must not be liberal at the expense of the truth. We may be as liberal as we please with our own things, such as our opinions and speculations, for they are private property ; but let us be careful how we touch the Ark of God. When the devil wants to make us slaves, he baits his traps with sentiments of extreme liberality and a show of all-abounding love. When he wants to enslave men, he is not so silly as to let them see the prisons he has prepared, or the chains he has forged for them.- When he comes to us with purposes of hate, he often covers himself with a cloak of charity, and many are weak enough to take the bait, and lose their liberty forever. We must remember that divine pre- cepts and practices can not be set aside for any consider- ation. God's word must be the measure of our charity, our liberality, of everything pertaining to doctrine or practice. " When it speaks, we may speak ; when it is silent, we must be silent." It may be of some benefit to others for me to give in this connection a brief chapter of my own experience. For many years before the Eeformation day, I had taken my Bible as my only guide in all religious matters. I read it as constantly and as prayerfully as I have ever done since 5 my desire to know the truth was as sincere then as it ever was ; yet I did not come to a proper knowledge of it, with all my endeavors. Seeing that I had then the same Bible open before me which I have now, I am astonished that I did not sooner come into the light of its teachings. I can only account for this fact Elder Samuel Rogees. 125 npon the ground that my mind was preoccupied with cer- tain mystical and deluding notions, the correctness of which I never thought of doubting or questioning, as they had the sanction ot all the pious with whom I held interooursfi. It is true that I was troubled with doubts, and often felt there was a wrong somewhere, and was, by no means, satisfied with my religious situation. I was earnestly and hopefully looking for light; but I was not looking for it in the right direction, nor did I suppose for a moment that it would dissipate my errors if I should come to the light, for I did not allow myself to think that I had any errors. I knew that I was ignorant, and did not fully understand the Scriptures; for I saw that my views were not in harmony with their literal meaning. But I supposed that this want of harmony between my views and those apparently conflicting Scriptures, was owing to the fact that I had not appre- hended the true meaning of those Scriptures, and not that I was holding false views of Christianity. I was expecting such light upon the Bible as would bring it into harmony with my mystical and erroneous views, and not a light that would dissipate them altogether. Like many others, I failed, because I was always trying to bring the Bible to my theory, instead of trying to square my theory with the Bible. It never occurred to me that I ought to read the book of God to learn the truth for the truth's sake. All this may sound strange to one who has never been bewildered in the smoky precincts of Babylon; but I do not exaggerate the truth when I say that we never thought of testing our theories by the Word of God. It is true that we tried to prove them by tiie Bible for the sake of those who heard us, but not to confirm our own faith. We always gave our theories the*- benefit of every doubt. For instance, I believed that the happy feel- ings I once enjoyed were the highest evidence of my • ' acceptance with God; but when I read the following: "He that belie veth and is baptized shall be saved;" " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name 126 Autobiography of of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit;" the only impres- sion made upon my mind was that I did not understand tliose Scriptures, or they would harmonize with my relig- ious experience ; or I might turn to the Scriptures in the third chapter of John and read : " The wind bloweth where it listeth," and, wrapping myself in that mantle of mystery, retire to rest. So God's truth, sinking into my eyror, was neutralized, and subsided. When I undertook to preach, I selected my subject, or theme — we were theme-preachers in those days — and went to the Bible to find proper texts and illustra- tions. If my subject was Grace, Gospel, or Love, I quoted the Scriptures that contained these respective terms, and then launched forth upon the subject accord- ing to my own experience or theory. Perhaps, after speaking in general terms of the grace of God, or the love of God, I would occupy my time in giving an ac- count of my own conversion, or of the conversion of some one else, setting up human models, instead of the divine ones which were before my eyes. I never dreamed of giving a scriptural definition of the gospel, for I did not know that such a definition could be found between the lids of the Bible. I did not know the meaning of grace, or faith, or how either grace or faith came. We were not encouraged to learn the truth. If anyone should ask. Why? What? How? he was reproved for attempting to piy into the deep things of God. O, what slaves we were to superstition ! We were slaves to our religious experiences. Of all the things in the world of which we felt most certain, the experience of pardon at the mourners' bench, or somewhere else, was that thing. For a thing of absolute certainty, we were willing to put our feelings against the world. With all our errors, however, we were far in advance of our religious neighbors, and had this decided advan- tage, that, from the beginning, we had taken as our creed the Bible alone. As Paul, at Athens, had only to declare the God whom the people ignorantly worshiped, wiiiiout Eedee Samuel Rogees. 127 exciting any undue prejudices or opposition; so, when Brother Campbell took up the Bible, and unfolded its truths with such power and simplicity, many of us, with a ready mind, received his teachings and rejoiced in the light. In our case it was only advancing on our own ground to follow the light of his instruction. The Re- formation was the legitimate issue of our creed. It was far different with those who had adopted human creeds. Reformation was all that we needed. Revolution was what they needed. In other words, reformation in our case was revolution in theirs; hence, but few of them came into the light and liberty of Apostolic doctrine. Most of my old brethren, in coming into the Reforma- tion, differed from me in one particular. They were quite satisfied with their baptism ; I was not satisfied. I heard with a disquiet conscience the command, "Be baptized for the remission of sins." It was urged by my brethren that the highest and purest motive had actuated me in my baptism ; that is, a desire out of a pure heart to obey God ; that . it would be unreasonable to believe that, because His loving children did not understand all that was in store for them in their obedience, there- fore. He would withhold any good thing from them. They argued that no earthly parent would be so hard with his child as to withhold what he had promised upon condition of obedience, on the ground that the child did not understand the nature and full meaning of what had been promised. I v?as not, however, satis- fied with this sort of reasoning ; first, because it was a false mode of reasoning — because we can not, by first finding out what man would do under ceriain circum- stances, take that as a basis for what God would do. In the next place, I insisted that I had not obeyed the command, " Be baptized for the remissioli of sins." I had tried to get remission in some other way, and had then been baptized. I had, therefore, only half-way obeyed the command. I had been baptized, but my faith was defective. God had said plainly, " I give remission of sins;" but by my act I had said, " I do not want par- 128 Autobiography of don in baptism ; I found that long ago, at the mourners' bench, or by agonizing in the lone woods." " Well, then," said my friends, " are you willing to say that, in your baptism, God did not perform his Sromise in your case, and that, hence, you are an unpar- oned man?" I answered that I had nothing to do with that ques- tion, but this one thing I knew I had not done : I had not fulfilled all righteousness before the world in declar- ing in baptism that, to the believing penitent, God, for Christ's sake, does forgive sins. And thus ended the argument. In a few days after this, I settled the question by be- ing baptized for the remission of sius, and since then my conscience has been at rest. And I now believe I did right, though I do not fall out with those who believe differently. To my mind, an unintelligent baptism is little better than no baptism at all. I have given this subject much study, and t?ie more I think of it, the less I am inclined to take anything for baptism except an in- telligent submission to the institution, both in manner and design. Christian baptism is not simply an act, else an immersed infidel could claim Nthe blessing of remis- sion. Faith must precede it, all admit. But are the antecedents more important to make it baptism than its consequents? Certainly not. Scriptural baptism is immersion, with its antecedents and consequents. I claim that the antecedents are defective, necessarily, if they do not embrace the consequents. There can be no intelligent faith that does not embrace the promises con- nected with any act of obedience which we are required to perform. Elder Samuel Rogees. 129 CHAPTEK XXI. Brother Campbell misunderstood.— Compelled to seek a new home in the West.— Stars falling, description of.— Tlie journey.- The safe arrival. The war waged by Brother Campbell upon the kingdom of the clergy, which, in the beginning of the current Reformation, was carried on with such telling power, was greatly misunderstood by friends and foes. In his earnest efforts to correct prevailing abuses, for which a venal clergy were largely responsible, should we admit that some of his utterances were extreme, and suscep- tible of misconstruction, we would only admit what has been true of all great and good men who have under- taken to reform a corrupt church. It is perfectly natural that the greater the effort to draw men trom ex- tremes of one sort, the more imminent the danger of falling into extremes of an opposite character. How- ever inuch we may differ concerning the meaning of Brother Campbell's teaching upon the subject, it is clear that he did not intend to put an end to preaching, or to encourage a penurious people in "muzzling the ox that treadeth out the corn ; " for he taught, emphatically, that " the laborer is worthy of his hire," and that " the Lord loves a cheerful giver," and that " those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel." There can be no doubt that he aimed at nothing short of the annihila- tion of the proud and mercenary priesthood that claimed the right to " lord it over God's heritage " — " to care more for the fleece than the flock " — " to open and shut the kingdom of heaven at pleasure ; " all because they belonged to that exclusive class called the clergy. Be- sides, it is equally clear that he believed every well or- ganized congregation should be able to edify itself; that its elders should be capable of feeding the flock of God, over whom the Lord had made them overseers; that 6* 130 Autobiography of every man, to the extent of his ability, should preach, teach and exhort ; not because he belonged to a distinct class like the clergy, but because of his being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there were some who, desiring an ex- cuse for their avarice, seized upon and tortured some of the sayings of the great Eeformer, so as to find justifi- cation in their withholding of support from the faithful minister of the gospel, who, having forsaken all, had gone forth to preach to a perishing world the unsearch- able riches of Christ. Preaching had never been a profitable business to me, pecuniarily ; but it had now become, I may say fairly, a starving business. The result was not altogether from the cause alluded to above, but was, no doubt, partly brought about by the revolutionary effects of the Refor- mation. Many churches which, before I preached this apostolic doctrine, were friendly to me, and ready to lend me a helping hand, now turned from me ; while others were so engaged with their home troubles, and so discouraged, that they were powerless to do anything to- wards sending the gospel to the world — or, at least, they felt themselves so to be. So, from these causes, I was compelled, for a time, to. draw my support chiefly from secular employments, notwithstanding it was con- ta-ary to my wishes. I applied myself very closely to my business, for a short time, preaching only on the Lord's day; but my soul was not satisfied. Having received the ancient and apostolic doctrine in its fullness and simplicity, it was to me a pleasure to preach it* The story was plain and easy to tell ; there was nothing to do but open my Bible and let it tell to a perishing world the way of salvation. It was not neces- sary, as it was of old, to warp or twist a single word or sentence, to make it harmonize with my religious theory. Now, my theory was, of necessity, in complete harmony with my text ; I having adopted the faith that the Bible, in its plainest and most obvious meaning, is the Chris- tian's sole guide — feelings, impulses, dreams and vague Eldee Samuel Rogers. 131 impressions, all being counted as naught. Having been a religious enthusiast by nature, as well as by practice, it was not an easy matter for me to hold my breath for six days out of the week, having the old gospel at my tongue's end, and a breast panting for the salvation of souls and the enlightenment of my friends who had not yet received the ancient gospel, while the richest harvest that ever waved before husbandman was now all ripe for the sickle, waiting to be gathered in. I imagine that Saul of Tarsus was not more ardent and zealous in disposition than I was ; and that after he saw the true light, he was not more anxious to convert his brethren, and by faithful service, redeem the time, than I ; yet I was bound fast in the stocks. My supplies having been cut off — my family more needful of my attention than ever before — what was I to do ? This question became the subject of my most earnest prayers. No man ever toiled, day after day, under greater embarrassment, than I did, for more than a year. The physical exertion demanded, was nothing. I was willing to work in the field ; to work in the shop ; to work anywhere, if I might only be relieved of the weight of responsibility that seemed to rest upon me on account of being hindered from gather- ing in the ripe harvest that was waving before me. In all my life I had not, in the same length of time, had so many and such urgent calls to preach the gospel, nor had I ever before felt one-half so competent to do good. There was not a lingering doubt in my mind but that I had tiie apostolic gospel, the whole gospel, and nothing but the gospel — the power of God for salvation to every one that believed it. With this assurance, how could I be contented with anything short of devoting my whole time to telling abroad the glad tidings? At length I determined to get out of the old ruts — to change my location — to go further West, if, happily, the Lord might open to me a more effectual door. My pur- pose was to obtain more land, and, by the aid of my boys, who were getting large enough to work on a farm, make a living for my family without devoting so much 132 Autobiography of of my time to secular employments. I trusted that I might be, in the end, so fortunate as to be able to de- vote my whole time to the work of the Lord. At any rate, I felt that I could scarcely do worse than I was then doing, and the chances were favorable for doing better. The thought of this gave me relief. Accordingly, m the year 1833, and in the early Autumn of that year, I visited the middle portion of the State of Indiana, in company with my old and tried friend and brother, Joseph Rulon. Attracted by the beauty of the country, and its fertility, as well as by the fact that some friends and brethren had already settled there, we located in the western portion of Henry county, on the waters of Fall Creek. Brother Rulon, having considerable means, bought a fine farm, tolerably well improved for that day; but as my means were quite limited, the best that I could do was to buy two hun- dred acres of Government laud, at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. This land was very fertile and well watered, but it was covered with a heavy growth of timber, which made it a laborious business to prepare it for the plow. Our purchases made, we re- turned home early in the month of October. I at once sold my little farm in the neighborhood of Antioch, and, having disposed of what stock and stuff I could not take with me, on the 13th of November, 1833, I was ready to start upon the journey for our new home in the West. Nothing short of a firm conviction of duty could have induced me to make the sacrifices I made in leaving this memorable field of my early labors, where I might num- ber hundreds of firmest friends, who, by a thousand ties, were bound to me — ties never to be broken. I look back through the dim years to that day of tears and farewells with feelings of mingled joy and sadness. I had been an instrument of much blessing to that people, and they looked upon me as their father in the gospel, which I really was. I had found them a people without God and without hope, except one here and there among Elder Samuel Rogers. 133 them. From the beginning to the end the Lord had, in a remarkable measure, blessed my humble labors. My home church, Antioch, was a la,rge and spiritually-minded church, exerting a powerful influence upon the surround- ing country ; but, when I first came into their midst, a child could number all of the professors of religion in the countrj'. There was not a highway or a by-path that I had not traversed,- in all the country, on missions, either of joy or sadness. I had baptized the people ; had married their children ; had comforted their dying hours ; had preached their funerals ; or, I would rather say, had preached their resurrection — for I never be- lieved in funerals — they are a relic of popery ; but I do believe in preaching the resurrection. I repeat, that nothing but a sense of duty to my Lord, whom I de- light to honor, could have induced me to leave those hallowed grounds. On the evening of the twelfth, many of our dear friends came in to bid us adieu, and they remained until a very late hour, when, after a prayer, the most of them returned to their homes — a few remaining to see us off in the morning. Wfr had but little rest that night, for, hefore three o'clock in the morning, we were all aroused from our slumbers, making preparation for an early start. Some one, on looking out of the window, observed that it was almost broad daylight. " That can not be," another an- swered, "For it is scarcely three o'clock." "I can't help what the clock says," replied the first speaker, " my eyes can not deceive me ; it is almost broad day- light — look for yourselves." After this little alterca- cation, some one went to the door for the purpose of settling the question. Fortunately, there was not a cloud in the heavens ; so by a glance, all was settled. _ I heard one of the children cry out, in a voice expressive of alarm : " Come to the door, father, the world is surely coming to an end." Another exclaimed: "See! the whole heavens are on fire! all the stars are falling!" These cries brought us all into the open yard, to gaze 134 Autobiography op upon the grandest and most beautiful scene my eyes have ever beheld. It did appear as if every star had left its moorings, and was drifting rapidly in a westerly direction, leaving behind a track of light which re- mained visible for several seconds. Some of those wandering stars seemed as large as the full moon, or nearly so, and in some cases they appeared to dash at a I'apid rate across 'the general course of the main body of meteors, leaving in their track a bluish light, which gathered into a thin cloud not unlike a puff of smoke from a tobacco-pipe. Some of the meteors were so bright that they were visible for some time after day had fairly dawned. Imagine large snowflakes drifting over your head, so near you that you can distinguish them, one from the other, and yet so thick in the air as to almost obscure the sky ; then imagine each snowflake to be a meteor, leaving behind it a tail like a little comet ; these meteors oi all sizes, from that of a drop of water to that of a great star, having the size of the fiill moon in appearance : and you may then have some fiiint idtea of this wonderful scene. It must be remembered that, in the Western States, at that day, there was not much knowledge among the masses upon the subject of meteorology. Not one in a tliousand could give any rational account of this won- derful phenomenon ; so it will not appear strange that there was widespread alarm, at this " star-shooting," so called. Some really thought that the Judgment Day was at hand, and they fell upon their knees in penitence, confessing all the sins of their past lives, and calling upon God to have mercy. On our journey we heard little talked of but the " falling of the stars." All sorts of conjectures were made by all sorts of people, except- ing there were but few, if any, wise conjectures, and very few wise people to make them along the way we traveled. Not a few thought it an evidence of God's displeasure, and believed that fearful calamities would probably speedily follow. There were those who believed the Judgment Day was near at hand, and undertook to Eldee Samuel Rogers. 135 prove out of the Scriptures that this was one of the signs of the coining of the Son of Man. One old lady was emphatic in the statement that it was certainly a " token of some sign." Statements made even by good- meaning people were often quite erroneous. Some men declared that they saw great balls of fire fall into the water, and heard the- sizzling noise, like that made when a red-hot iron is thrown into a slake-tub. Others thought they saw these great balls of fire bursting among the tree-tops. We may learn from this that, when men are in a high state of excitement, their testimony must be taken with many grains of allowance. I heard of a few who professed religion under the influence of these lights. In that day, for the sinner under conviction to be able to say that he had seen a light, whether he had heard a voice or not, furnished a ready passport into al- most any church in the land. I suppose the reformation pi'oduced by these meteors was like the appearance of the meteors themselves — of very short duration. I have no faith in any repentance grounded upon objects of sense. The gospel only is the power of God unto sal- vation. Love to God and hatred for sin, only can work a permanent change in the life of a man; and nothing short of this can be trusted as permanent in its effects. The journey to our new home was a rough one, not only because the road we traveled was new and poorly bridged, when bridged at all, but because cold weather set in soon after we started, and prevailed with more tlian ordinary severity to the end of our way. Moving in 1833 was not much like moving is now. Indiana had not then a railroad, turnpike, or anything like a well- constructed highway of any considerable length. There were large districts of country that had not a single in- habitant. Around the towns and older settlements, the traveler could get along very well, but he had, even in 1833, to pass over many miles together of road so poorly worked that he could have done about as well, and in many cases better, to have cut his own way through the forest altogether. 136 AUTOBIOGHAPHY OP Thirty-two years before this, I had passed through this- State, then a Territory ; but it was under very dif- ferent circumstances. I was a boy, ten years old or more, with an elasticity of body that defied hardship and laughed at the wilderness-way. That journey was made earlier in the autumn, when the streams were dry and the ground was solid. Now I had a large family of children to undergo their first experience of travel through rain, and snow, and ice, to a home among strangers. It required no little nerve to struggle along against the difficulties, without occasionally giving way to feelings of despondency and expressing words; of complaint. I could have borne the hardships myself, but I could not bear with patience the exposure and suf- fering of my wife and children. Nevertheless, the in- hospitality of roads and weather was more than made up to us by the hospitality of the settlers along the way — be this spoken to the praise of new settlers generally all the world over. I regret to say that, with the growth of the country in material wealth and intei'nal improve- ments, there has not been the same improvement upon the hospitality of these people. It is a poor compliment to civilization and refinement, that selfishness has, in so large a measure, absorbed that generosity which the traveler of forty or fifty years ago met so often in the rude cabin of the woods. The home of the new settler was approached with a freedom and confidence indicative of the hospitality that reigned within. Then the latch- string always hung out. It may be, however, that the same generous people of the wilderness, had they been placed in circumstances of independence, might have lost a large measure of their generosity in parting with their dependence and poverty. On our journey, we had a rich experience with these Eeople, and, though our bodies may have been chilled y the blasts of winter, our hearts were warmed by their kindness. On one occasion we found night coming upon u8, and no stopping place near, save a little shanty in the edge of a deep forest. We knew that we must find Elder Samuel Eogees. 137 shelter here, or else take the shelter of our wagons for the night, and that promised anything but a pleasant picture before us. I approached the cabin and called. A man of rough exterior and with no very agreeable- looking face, came out, and walked directly to where our teams were, without listening, as I thought, to my inquiry for lodging. He said in a gruff voice : "A bad night — a bad night! This is bad business — bad busi- ness ! Drive in, drive in," said he ; " the cabin is small, but it is better than the wagons, I suppose. You are welcome to share our shelter and fire ; we will do the best we can for you. Come in, come iu." We were not long in making the change from the wagons to the cabin ; and warmer hearts or richer hospitality we have never met. There may be standing now, on the same spot where stood that cabin, a splendid mansion, erected by the descendants of that man ; but I doubl if there is as much room in that great mansion for the stranger as there was in the cabin. What a great world this would be if generosity would increase with riches ! but this is rarely, if ever, the case. On the contrary, the larger our earthly mansions and storehouses are, the less they contain for the poor wayfaring man. After hindrances of various kinds, which kept us on the road beyond the time calculated upon, we arrived without any serious casualty safe in the neighborhood of our new home. As Brother Rulon did not propose moving for some time, we were permitted to occupy his house until we could build one on our own land. By late planting time, we were in our own cabin, and had a garden spot and a small field ready for the plow. There being no school in the neighborhood, and no one better qualified to teach than mj'self, and having been urgently solicited to undertake the work, I, promising to do what I could, and to give way at any time that a biet- ter teacher might be obtained, taught three months, which was about the length of time that I had gone to school myself, all put together. My son John I., then about fourteen years old, and pretty well advanced for 138 Autobiography of one of liis age, assisted me at night in preparing for the labors of the coming day ; so that, by hard work and close application, I was able to keep well ahead of my pupils, with only a few exceptions. Brother Joseph Franklin, my near neighbor, and the father of Ben Franklin, had a large family of boys — six in all. Ben had just married; the remaining five at- tended my school, and but for them I would have expe- rienced no difficulty in keeping ahead of my scholars. They learned rapidly, and pushed me on in a way not altogether comfortable. They were addicted, too, to the habit of asking questions — so much for their E.hode Island blood. Sometimes they puzzled me sorely, but I would put on a bold front, and, what with my own as- surance, and the polite disposition of the boys not to push their questions into unpleasant territory, I closed my school with some degree of satisfaction to myself, and I hope not without profit to the young people of the neighborhood. The school-house was large enough toi hold a moderate congregation; so I commenced preaching there at the same time that I began to teach the school. In a short time, we had gathered together a little band of disciples, and organized them into a congregation. Though few in numbers, we were strong in faith ; and I then believed that the day was not in the far distance when we would begin to reap in earnest, for the harvest was inviting in- deed. But, alas ! how soon a cloud can settle upon us, darken our way, and disappoint our hopes. I suppose there has never been a congregation, how- ever small, without the necessity, arising now and then, for the exercfse of discipline. Our little band was not an exception to the rule. The case which came up was a very delicate one, and of such a nature that, without the exercise of much wisdom and forbearance, it was lia- ble to give considerable trouble. We would have very little difficulty in settling any case of discipline if all parties were willing to be guided strictly by the letter and spirit of the Law of Christ ; but, when a case arises Eldek Samuel B,ogees. 139 involving the honor or good name of a party, passion is likely to take the place of reason, the law of the " old man " to be substituted for the " new man," resentment and hate to take the place of long suffering and love ; so that the eye is closed, and the ear stopped, and all means of pacification are set at naught. After many attempts to bring the parties of our trouble to a proper understand- ing, and having utterly failed, we were compelled to re- sort to the last remedy ; so, in the fear of God, we pro- nounced the sentence of expulsion. As I was the most active officer in the congregation, of course the shafts of hate were aimed chiefly at me; and, as the result of the whole matter, such a flood of persecution poured in upon me as to overwhelm me altogether. And, for some little time, though I strug- gled against the tide in the fear of the Lord and with all the power of my soul, it did appear that all my fond hopes of promoting the honor of my Master's cause, and of being more useful in His vineyard than I had ever been, were about to be swept away in the wild storm of passion that had been raised against me for having sim- ply done my duty. The house of worship was closed against us, and everything was said and done that could have a tendency to hedge up the way of truth. By the help of God, however the storm might rage, we were resolved to work on, pray on, and trust the Lord for re- sults. Though I tried to put on a bold front, anyone might have seen that I had the appearance of a disap- pointed man. I can now see that my faith was, for a season, defective, or I would have said to my troubled soul, "All this may end well, and, certainly, if we love God, it 'will work together for good.'" And so it turned out, even sooner than the most hopeful expected. Our troubles were an advertisement that brought us into notice more than our preaching had done. New hearers appeared in our audiences — men who had never heard, and who, perhaps, might never have heard us under other circumstances. But we were turned out of door,s, and had to find shelter in the woods, ot in 140 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF such barns or houses as a generous people would furnish. This excited sympathy, and brought out large audiences to hear us; and I think it operated not only upon the public favorably, but it brought all nearer to God, and, of course, it made us more humble. In our weakness we became strong. " Man's extremity is God's opportu- nity." Looking back over the past, I realize with great force the truth of the Apostle's remark : " That the trial of your faith, more precious than of gold that per- isheth, though proved by fire, may be found to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Elder Samuel Eogbes. 141 CHAPTER XXII. Joseph Franklin's family. — A happy nnion.— How to treat our ad- versaries.— Conversions and the extension of the gospel. Among those whom our troubles had interested were Joseph Franklin and his Christian wife. They had never taken any interest in our preaching before. Even then, I do not suppose they came out of any sympathy they felt for the doctrine I preached ; but to hear a man for whom a kindly feeling had been awakened on account of the bad treatment he had received. In one particular, they agreed with us religiously : they believed in immersion, and were immersed Methodists. I wish all Methodists were immersionists ; they are a liberal-minded people, and could be easily approached if their baptism did not stop their ears. A strong attachment was soon formed between Joseph Franklin and wife and myself and wife. I think the desire was mutual that we might be bound together, not only in bonds of friendship, but also in the holier bond of Christian union and communion. This de- sire was intensified from the consideration that our union might result in the conversion of our children, who were on the broad road to destruction. To this end, we made an agreement to meet together at the house of one or the other of us, regularly upon every Saturday afternoon, and employ the time in read- ing the New Testament, marking all passages as we pro- ceeded upon which we could not so agree as to fellowship each other. In this attempt to see and believe alike, we agreed to sacrifice our prejudices and opinions, and to be guided only by the infallible Word of the Lord. All of our meetings were opened by prayer, sometimes by song and prayer. It was not long until we had finished the book. " Now," said I, " let us examine the marked passages, and see how far we are apart." 142 Autobiography of How many were there ? Not one. Why ? Because we read this book with the true spirit; with an intense desire to be guided by it alone, and were thus brought together. If all men would so read the Scriptures', they might so be agreed as to its meaning, I doubt not. Dur- ing our investigation, we avoided every question or ex- pression that might arouse prejudice and obstruct our union. We sat down to our readings, not as partisans, but as if we had no opinion of our own on the matters we were considering. And when our work was done, and a complete union on the Bible, and the Bible alone, ef- fected, no one claimed the victory, or uttered a word of triumph ; but we rejoiced in that gospel which is so simple that a child can understand it, and that founda- tion that is broad enough for all that believe and obey the gospel of our Lord and Saviour. It we could keep self out of the way in all our at- tempts to build upon the one foundation, and make those whom we would enlighten feel that we have no selfish end in view ; but, on the contrary, that it is God's cause we are laboring to defend, and His truth alone we are laboring to maintain ; we would be far more successful in our efforts to effect that unity of the spirit contemplated in the gospel. In all my attempts to preach the Apos- tolic gospel, I have endeavored to make my hearers real- ize that the whole controversy was between themselves and God. I endeavored to keep the Bible between myself and the people, so that their controversy should be, of ne- cessity, not with men, or the words or systems of men, but with the Word of God, which is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. When constrained to make allusion to the men who stand at the head of the great religious parties of the day, such as Wesley, Luther and Calvin, it is wise to do so with becoming respect ; to al- lude to them as men who attempted a great work, and who were great reformers in their day, to whom we owe, at the present time, a large debt of gratitude. In my Indiana work, I found that this course of pro- cedure told with good effect upon my hearers, who were Eldee Samuel Rogebs. 143 from almost every point of the religious compass. To the day of his death, Joseph Franklin contended with his son Benjamin that, in our meetings upon the Bible, if any one had changed, I had, and not he. Quite sat- isfied to see him standing upon the true platform, we were all willing that he should hold this opinion. When- ever we ask men to come to us, to join our church, or when we in any way mix ourselves in the matter, we pre- judice the cause of Christ. We must say : " Here is Christ! What think you of Him? Are you willing to believe Him, obey Him, trust Him? This is not my church, but the Church of Christ. This is not my gos- pel, but the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God to salvation." I never made a fine sermon in my life ; but I have preached a great many very fine sermons ; yea, as pow- erful sermons as were ever uttered on earth. But all of these fine sermons were borrowed. I boiTowed them from Christ and the Apostles. They contained the most sublime facts in the universe to be believed, the grand- est commands to be obeyed, and the most precious promises to be enjoyed. From the bottom of my heart do I pity any poor upstart who preaches as if he thinks that he can improve upon the models of eighteen hun- dred years ago ; who is ready to turn up his nose at the grand preacher of the Pentecost; who looks upon Peter as an old fogy, knowing more of law than of liberty — too unprogressive altogether. But I must get back to my narrative. After we were denied the use of the school-house, as I have before stated, we preached in the woods when the weather would permit, and at other times we met in such houses as were opened to us. One of those houses, where we often met, was Brother Joseph Eulon's. One night I was preaching there, when it seemed to me that the realization of our former hopes was about to be ac- complished. I was preaching one of my borrowed ser- mons, that had faith, repentance and baptism in it. Having closed, we called for recruits, and several of the 144 Autobiography of leading spirits of the young men of the . neighborhood came forward to enlist in the army of the Lord. Among them were Benjamin Franklin and his brother Daniel. The effect of this meeting was felt with power through the whole neighborhood ; for these young men began at once to work. They had enlisted in the Lord's army to fight manfully against sin and superstition, and every- thing in opposition to their Master's cause. They began at once the study of the Scriptures in good earnest. They assisted us with prayers and exhortations, both in public and private, on the Lord's day, and on every other day; so that the glorious work moved right on from that day, with no check or abatement, until scores had been brought into the kingdom, and the whole neighborhood had been entirely revolutionized. Brother Joseph Franklin's house being quite commo- dious, we held many of our meetings there ; and happier meetings than those were I have never enjoyed. It was soul-cheering, indeed, to see parents and children ming- ling together in song, and prayer, and exhortation ; ex- tending the hand of congratulation, or " shaking hands," as it was called ; and, with tearful eyes, all praising God. Old Brother Franklin was not the best balanced man in the world ; he was too much like myself in disposi- tion. With a quick and impulsive nature, he was easily exasperated, easily excited. He suddenly became very happy, and as suddenly very unhappy. Sometimes he was lifted to the third heaven in transports of joy, and would then relapse into a state of despondency and gloom almost bordering on despair. We used to say he either lived in the garret or the cellar. Withal, however, he was a good and pure man ; earnest in the advocacy of the truth, and as far fi'om making compromises with error as any living man. He stood upon principle; was ever ready to sacrifice personal interest and the praise of men for what he believed to be the truth. His wife was of a different disposition. She was al- ways cheerful, and hoping for the best. While he was apt to look on the dark side of things, she was always Elder Samuel Rogers. 145 looking on the bright side ; her sky was a cloudless one. Indeed, she was no ordinary woman. There were very few women in her day who had a better acquaintance with the Bible than she, or who had so bright an intel- lect. Her husband was sensible of this, and, when hard- pressed in a controversy, had a happy way of getting out of trouble by calling to his aid his wife, who, with won- derful skill, could turn the shafts of any common adver- sary. When in a desponding mood, he used to call upon his wife to lead the worship. This she did with such fer- vor that, by the time the "Amen" was uttered. Brother Franklin was a new man. There was a depth and pathos in her prayers and exhortations that at once solemnly impressed all present. Prayer with her was no mere form of words J it was literally a pouring out of the soul to God in love, joy and praise, and in such a warm tide as to touch every heart and suffuse every eye with tears. When we consider the character of this woman of God, we are not surprised that four of her six sons became ministers of the Gospel of Christ. It would be interesting to know how many preachers in the world are indebted to their mothers for all they have been as preachers, and for all they have accomplished. Hun- dreds of preachers have had wicked fathers ; some, like myself, have had to confess that their fathers were infi- dels; but can any preacher say that his mother was an ungodly woman ? Let me say to the mothers in Israel, that the hope of the world and the prosperity of the Church rest upon you. Talk of woman's rights and privileges ! all other rights and privileges sink into nothingness when compared with that of rearing war- riors for the army of the Lord. Had Sister Franklin and my own dear wife gone out into the world to occupy the public pulpit, the chances are that the six preachers whom they reared would never have been heard of. My sisters, be content to stay at home and guide the house ; and think not that you are in any mean business when you are only bringing up your children in the fear of the Lord. No : this is the noblest work in the world ; and 7 146 AUTOBIOQEAPHY OF a mission a thousand times nobler than any known by those who are continually croaking about woman's rights. We were now in the midst of a glorious revival ; the spirit of inquiry was abroad ; men, old and young, car- ried their Bibles with them, and undertook to establish the truth of their faith and practice from that book alone. Brother Benjamin Franklin's father-in-law and mother-in-law yielded to the gospel, and so did the greater portion of their children ; several of them in- clined to Universalism. A brother of Sister F., a man of strong mind and of considerable general information, gave me no little trouble upon the question of universal salvation. Whenever he succeeded in decoying me out into the regions of speculation, I felt that he had the advantage of me. So long as he kept me outside of the Bible, he made out a very respectable case. I soon learned what his tactics were, and never afterwards ven- tured beyond the limits of Revelation. I continued . my thrusts with the sword of the Spirit until he cried " Enough," and acknowledged that there was no founda- tion for his theory in the Bible. The conversion of this man had a considerable influence in his neighborhood, and extended our opportunities for doing good. Elder Samuel Rogees. 147 CHAPTER XXIII. Confession and baptism of John I. Rogers.— Results of the revival. Benjamin Franklin as a preacher. — Valuable counsel to preachers and young converts. My son John, who had been attending school in Ken- tucky, now returned to find his old associates, with a few exceptions, in the church, and full of the Spirit of the Lord. He seemed to be completely lost. He could not turn away from his old associates, and yet he felt embarrassed in their presence. No effort was spared by his young friends to induce him to become a Christian. They prayed for him; exhorted and counseled him; rea- soned and pleaded with him — all apparently in vain, for, as yet, he seemed unmoved. When he was preparing to leave home again, quite a number of anxious young men came in to see him, not only for the purpose of bidding him adieu, but, likewise, to make a last and determined effort to induce him to turn to God. They talked with him up to a late hour of the night, but seemingly to no purpose. His mother and I put in a word now and then, but at last we were all inclined to give him up as a hopeless case; Prayer being the Christian's last resort, I proposed that, before any of the company should leave, we bow together in prayer. That hour was to me one of pecu- liar solemnity. I felt that the soul of a dear child was suspended by a slender thread between heaven and hell. Indeed, I felt that the last-mentioned place had the better chance for him ; though I could not give him up without telling my Father all about it, and asking His help in this our time of need. At such times, when we are vibrating between hope and despair, we can all pray fervently, if not eloquently. Perhaps; I never in all my life prayed a better prayer 148 Autobiography op than I did that night. I prayed with the weight of an immortal spirit upon my soul, and that spirit was my own child. Blessed be God, I did not pray in vain. My son, after it was all past, remarked to me that every word I spoke went to his heart like a barbed shaft. When we arose from our knees, John I. stood before me pale and trembling, as if struggling to un- burden his soul ; and, for a few moments, a silence en- sued that was really painful. All eyes were turned upon him when he broke the silence, and thus ad- dressed me: " Father, I believe I am as well prepared to confess faith in Christ now as I may ever be." I at once arose, grasped my boy's hand, and took his confession, I then asked when he desired to be im- mersed ; and he answered : " At this very hour." While this was transpiring, there was not a dry eye in the house. His loving mother even shouted aloud, praising God. Torches were soon prepared, and we went directly to the water, which was but a few steps from Brother Franklin's house. When we arrived at the place, and had aroused old Brother Franklin and wife, we had one of our old-fashioned songs, a prayer, then attended to the baptism; and in all we experienced great joy together. Brother F. said to me: " Brother Rogers, you are a great man for the water ; you come here by day and by night ; yes, and at mid- night. It seems," said he, " that it is never too light or too dark, too hot or too cold, for you." " Yes," said I, " we go when the Master calls ; and, as He is always calling, we are always going." I have never been in favor of deferring baptism to suit the convenience of any one. The Lord's time is my time. " Now is the accepted time," has always been my motto. The good work went bravely on until multitudes were rejoicing in the liberty of the glorious gospel of Christ. The effect of this revival spread far and wide. Seven preachers came out of it, and, as far as I know, have Elder Samuel Rogers. 149 been earnest workers in the cause of the Lord. The four Franklins have done a great work in their own State. Ben Franklin's influence has been felt over the entire continent, and beyond it, both by his preach- ing and writing. Brother Adamson became an able preacher, and exerted a good influence in the East. My son John I. is well known in Kentucky; others may speak of his work. These men, the fruit of that revi- val, have extended their labors over the entire United States, and eternity alone can tell the good they have accomplished. I have ever felt, in looking back over those times and considering that work, that, if I had done no more for my Master than to be instrumental in giving to the world Benjamin Franklin, I would have no reason to be ashamed ; but would feel that I had by no means lived and labored in vain. Ben Franklin may, in common with his race, have faults and foibles : but, to my mind, he is one of the most direct and powerful gospel preach- ers and writers of this age. He indulges very little, if any, in speculation, but lays down his proposition, and proceeds with proofs that carry conviction to the mind almost irresistibly. He is emphatically a gospel preacher. Christ is his theme, first, midst and last. We may have scores of men among us more learned, in the popular sense, and more refined and elegant in manners and address ; but it is my judgment that we have not a man among us who can preach the gospel with less admixture of philosophy and speculation, and with greater force, than Ben Franklin. It may be said that I am partial to him, because he is my son in the gospel. It may be so ; yet, when I compare the result of his labors with that of others, and find that no man has produced more fruit than he in the same length of time, I think that I am not mistaken in my judgment. He has never pretended to be learned or eloquent ; yet he is learned in the religion of Jesus Christ, and overwhelmingly eloquent in presenting the love of God, and in drawing the picture of the grace of our 150 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF Lord Jesus Christ. Ben Franklin has one characteristic that ought to endear him to every Christian heart ; that is, his profound reverence for the Word of God, and his abiding confidence in its truth. I ought not to glory in my own work, I know quite well ; but, if an Apostle could rejoice that he had " not run in vain, neither la- bored in vain," so may I, without appearing vain-glori- ous. I do then rejoice that thousands upon thousands will chant the praises of God in heaven as the result, either immediately or remotely, of the glorious revival of which we have been speaking. It may be proper for me to state, before closing this chapter, that if we desire large and lasting results from our cbnversions, every young disciple should be put to work speedily; should be impressed with the idea that he is especially called to labor, and that God will have no idlers in His vineyard. Idlers always have been mischief-makers, and will always be. They will do no good for themselves, but will do an incalculable amount of injury to others. On the other hand, the working Christian is peaceable and full of good fruits. He is himself blessed, and is a blessing to the Church. He is not rebellious or quarrelsome; is in no danger of going astray, and has neither disposition nor time to do mischief. If any one were to ask me to give the cure for all the maladies to which young disciples are addicted, I would say. Keep them at work. Tnese suggestions are especially useful for the young. The history of one young wanderer is the history of every one, in all its main features. They all die of inactivity. In the revi- val of which I have been speaking, I made it my busi- ness to encourage every young disciple to engage at once in active service. If he could do but little, that little was required at once. If he could do much, he was encouraged to begin immediately, because the duty of to-day, if neglected, makes the duty of to-morrow so difficult that we are apt to be discouraged. The result of this course was not only manifested in the Elder Samiuel Rogers. 151 bringing out into the evangelical field of so many useful preachers, but in the strength and efficiency of the con- verts generally. There was erected in almost every family an altar, from which ascended the incense of praise to God continually, and religious themes formed the staple of conversation ; not of Lord's days only, but of every day. There was a steadfast continuance in the Apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking bread, and in prayer. Consequently, but few apostasies oc- curred among them. 152 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF CHAPTER XXIV. Removal to Darke county, Ohio.— Visit to Antiooh.— Success.— Again settled at my old home, among loving friends. My mission in Indiana extended over a period of about five years; and I may say they were five check- ered years. If I had those five years to live over again, I now see where I could make great improvement upon them. But they now belong to God, who has recorded their events, and those records I can never change. If we could keep in mind the fact that the deeds of every day are recorded, with all the circum- stances, extenuating or aggravating, and that they will confront us in eternity, no doubt we would live better lives, and do far more for God and humanity than we do. In the Autumn of 1838, 1 was offered what I thought was a good price for my Indiana farm, and was induced to sell out, and seek a new home and a new field of la- bor. Having been reared upon the frontier, I have always been of a roving disposition, and had the foolish notion, which has deluded countless thousands, that, by changing places, I might greatly change the current of my fortune for good. Whereas, I now believe that it would be better for us, in the long run, to remain among our friends, and to develop the fields we are occupying, than to seek fairer fields among strangers. It is an easy, but neither a brave nor a wise, way of treating difliculties to go round them. We ought bravely to meet and over- come them, and they will be forever out of the way ; otherwise, we will be in the condition of an army that has flanked the enemy, leaving him strongly intrenched in the rear. Having sold out my home place, I made a considerable tour over the States of Ohio and Indiana, and finally purchased a farm and settled in Darke county, Ohio. I nattered myself that I had now found the most promis- Elder Samuel Kogees. 153 ing fields for usefulness I had yet known. In this I was mistaken. It is true that the field was not altogether barren, nor were our labors in vain. in the Lord. At first, I witnessed quite a revival of the drooping spirits of the disciples in the neighborhood, and the conversion of a goodly number of souls. But fiiy work was of a spasmodic nature. Though we had among us a few noble spirits, yet the masses were wanting in firmness and Christian enterprise. My work wanted underpin- ning and bracing to keep it standing at all. I visited the districts around with the hope of doing good, but the results of my preaching were meager and unsatis- factory. While here, I had a pleasant visit from two of my children, Benjamin and Daniel Franklin. We had a pleasant time together, and I think I was a little vain as I listened to those boys whom I had been instrumental in bringing into the fold of Christ. They had been born only two or three years before, and yet they had grown so rapidly that they were now larger than their tather. It was almost enough to make one jealous of his own oifspring, so rapidly had they advanced. During the second year of my sojourning here, I made a tour to Antioch, the place which I had left in 1833. Antioch and the surrounding country were dear to me on account of the memories of former years. We pro- tracted a meeting here of several days. Up to this time, there were two or three old brethren that had stood out against the Reformation. They would long since have yielded, but for the persistent efforts of a few mischief-making spirits, who made periodical visits to the neighborhood for the purpose of stirring up strife, and reviving the prejudices of the few remaining disaf- fected ones. From long acquaintance and intimate association with the people, as might have been expected, almost the entire community came out to hear me, and among the rest were the three men who had never given up their old ways of opposition to the Eeformation. The years 7* 154 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF of our separation had been to many of the people full of sorrow. The desti-oyer had been among them, and laid many a brave heart low in the grave. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children and friends, who, when I left, were in the bloom of health, were now sleeping beneath the sod. Scarcely a house- hold could number the same as when I was among them seven years before. These things softened our hearts, and cemented bonds of Christian friendship that were well nigh broken, even in the case of those who were alienated on account of religious differences. My falling in among the people there at that particular time, in its effect reminded me of the gush of grief that breaks forth when an old fa- miliar friend drops into the midst of a family when one of their number is coffined for the burial. During the progress of my meeting I had a dream. I tell it as a dream, and not as the word of God. " The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell it as a dream ; and he that hath my word, let him speak it faithfully ; but what is the chaff to the wheat ? saith the Lord " (Jer. xxiii, 28). The dream was as follows : I dreamed that, on my way to meeting, I met in the way three rat- tlesnakes, and, having in my hand a flail, such as we used in olden times in thrashing our grain, I dealt a blow Tipon the head of each one of these serpents, scat- tering their blood and brains in every direction ; so that the ground was literally covered with blood and mangled portions of their bodies. This dream made very little impression on my mind, though I related it to my son- in-law and his family next morning at breakfast. That day I preached to a large and solemn audience, and at the conclusion of the discourse those three alien- ated brethren came forward, aud, confessing their errors, asked to be admitted to the fellowship of the church. This produced a profound impression upon the audience, melting every one to tears. After the meeting was over, my son-in-law, James Vandervort, approaching me, whispered in my ear that my prophetic vision had Elder Samuel Eogees. 155 been realized. Upon this question of dreams, I will say neither yea nor nay, more than this: that dreams are not to be relied upon, however frequently they may come true. But I can speak confidently of the results of this meeting. Many sinners were converted, all alienations were healed, and new life was infused into the church. When the meeting was fairly over, and the time of my departure was at hand, I began to realize that it would be a greater task to bid my old friends and neigh- bors adieu than I had anticipated. I was bound to them by a thousand ties; the happiest years of my life had been spent here. In this region there were many spots hallowed by sweet and blessed memories. The old meeting-house, the graveyard, the neighboring groves, the valleys and streams, were all made dear to me by the events of years that stretched away back into my earliest labors in the gospel. With feelings like these agitating my own breast, I was not prepared to reject the over- tures of my old brethren, who came, with tears in their eyes, beseeching me to return to the old stamping- ground, and settle again among friends who were tried and true. Having consented that they might send teams and move my family, the thing was speedily ac- complished. One of the brethren, Barnet Bashore, with whom I had lived on most intimate terms for many years, came forward and proposed to be at the trouble of mo^nng me without any charge; other brethren made proposals equally liberal touching my comfort and that of my fam- ily; until I felt fairly overwhelmed and subdued by their kindness. If my inmost thoughts and feelings had been carefully analyzed, I am inclined to think that an under- current of vanity might have been detected ; though, if vanity there was, I am sure it did not arise from a sense of my own worthiness, but from the fact that these peo- ple were my children. I had educated them with a father's care, and, both by precept and example, had in- culcated upon their minds principles of liberality; and 156 Autobiography of I was now enjoying for myself the fruits of that instruc- tion and training which I had given for the benefit of others. That man who would himself be blessed, must teach his children sentiments of goodness, and loving kindness, and charity. Though he should not do this for the purpose of reaping any personal advantage him- self, yet the reward will come; for it is my experience that, in the end, every man will reap where he sows, and reap, in a great measure, the kind he sows. The pro- verb that " a man who has friends must show himself friendly," has been verified in my experience over and over again.; as well as that saying of ,the Saviour, " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." The disciple is sui-e to imitate his teacher. A penuri- ous and selfish teacher will make a penurious and selfish people. Should a preacher refuse to give liberally and cheerfully, even of his penury, when the occasion de- mands it, the people will likewise shut up the bowels of their compassion, becoming as miserly as the preacher. Soon or late, that preacher will feel the power of his example and teaching, in witnessing the cutting-off of his own supplies as the legitimate working of the very principles which he practiced for the purpose of improv- ing his circumstances. There are three considerations that should lead us to the practice of liberality. 1. There are objects of want that demand it. 2. The world needs the example. 3. The giver's own spiritual life and health depend upon it, A triple blessing will follow every gift as infallibly as cause follows effect, viz.: The recipient is blessed; the world is blessed with the light of the act; the giver is blessed in the realization of the truth that " it is more blessed to give than to receive." Let no preacher complain of a want of generosity among his people who does not himself live in the daily practice of principles of generosity. "Be not deceived; whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap." By the liberality of my children, whom I had begotten by Elder Samuel Eogees. 157 the gospel, I now saw, with feelings of grateful praise, my family safely housed in the homestead we had left in 1833. This place I paid for at about three times the amount I had realized for it eight years before. I gave only a part of my time to the congregation at Antioch, and the rest to surrounding churches ; spending, in this way, about a year pleasantly, and profitably too. It would be supposed that, from my past experience, I should be satisiied to " let well enough alone," as I was doing a good work, and was happy in the society of friends whom I could trust. But it was not so deter- mined. 158 Autobiography op CHAPTER XXV. Third visit to Missouri. — Elder Lockhart at Belleville. — ^Terre Haute and tbe Combses.— Great meeting in Franklin county, Missouri.— Philip Miller. — Urged to make another visit. As I learned at the close of the year, that my mother, in Missouri, was becoming quite frail, I resolved to make what I supposed would be my last visit to that country. I doubt not, that in my determination to make this tour, I was actuated as much by a missionary spirit as by affection for my mother. This was the third missionary tour I had made to Missouri on horseback, through the States of Indiana and Illinois. My first stopping place was in Preble county, where lived two brothers by the name of Har- land, who were pioneer preachers of considerable abil- ity. They had built up a fine congregation in their neighborhood, which I had the pleasure of laboring with for several days. This meeting was not successful in the way of making additions to the church. I trust and be- lieve that my labor was not in vain in the Lord. Thence I passed through the city of Indianapolis to Belleville, where, in concert with my dear friend and brother, Lockhart, who resided there, we conducted a meeting which lasted several days, and resulted in many conver- sions. Brother Lockhart had moved to that country at an early day, and had become a preacher in the school of necessity. He had not enjoyed the advantages of schools to any considerable extent, and, perhaps, had never seen the inside of a college. Nothwithstanding this, being a man of prayerfulness and piety, he was urged to take an active part in the neighborhood meet- ings which he attended. This he did for some time, and became so useful to the cause, that a few wise breth- ren, after some consultation, urged him to submit to or- dination, and give himself to the work of the ministry. Eldee Samuel Rogers. 159 He had mauy misgivings upon this subject, as he in- formed me ; but being so urgently solicited by the breth- ren, he submitted to their superior judgment, and, being ordained, found abundant work immediately, not only in his own neighborhood, but in the surrounding country. I am told that his first efforts were quite feeble ; but what they lacked in force of argument and eloquence, was made up by his piety and devotion to the cause of his Maker. No man, without experience, can fully esti- mate the power of the Christian life in connection with the proclamation of the gospel. At the time of my visit, he was a strong advocate of the truth. He made no pretensions to eloquence or to oratory, in the common acceptation of the terms. But he was both eloquent and an orator, in the best sense. He was instrumental in building up a number of con- gregations in his region, and, in fact, accomplished al- most everything that was done in his part of the coun- try. I doubt not, that in heaven, hundreds whom he has converted will chant the praises of God with as clear a voice, and a soul as full of divine love, as if they had been converted by the most refined, eloquent, and learned preacher in the land. If you will visit, to- day, the neighborhood of his labors, you will hear him spoken of as the man to whom our cause in that district owes more than to any or all others together. We see in this case what a devoted Christian can do, not under the manipulations of theological trainers, but under the influence of strong religious convictions and the pressure of circumstances. From Belleville we passed on to Terre Haute, our next place of meeting. Here I met my old friends and breth- ren, Michael and Job Combs, with whom I had labored in days long gone. These men, like Brother Lockhart, had sown the good seed broadcast, without any plans or direction, save the plan that one who loves the truth will somehow devise, and the direction of a sense of duty. The Lord had raised up quite a number of 160 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF faithful disciples in this part of the country, mainly by the instrumentality of a few noble examples. One con- sistent, Christian life, in a community, is worth more to the cause than many eloquent sermons. From Terre Haute I crossed the Wabash Eiver, and passing through Paris, held a meeting near the State line, which was the most profitable meeting of my journey, if I may judge by the visible fruits. Many souls professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It being now midwinter, and fearing the breaking up of the hard weather, I hurried on to the place of my destination without much delay. Passing through St. Louis, where we tarried but a day or so, we were soon among our old friends in Franklin county. As I have stated before, this was my third missionary tour to this country. The first was in 1819, in company with my brother, John Rogers, who, but a short time before, had entered the ministry. We then belonged to the old Christian body, and were called, by our enemies, New- Lights, Arians, Schismatics, and I know not how many ugly names. The next visit was made in company with James Hughes, in 1825 or 1826, I am not sure as to the date. Hughes was one of the most successful men of the Stone Reformation. He was a native of Kentucky, early emigrated to Illinois, and traveled extensively with me through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. I believe I was the second preacher who carried across the Mississippi the doctrine that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is a sufficient rule of faith and practice. As far as I am now informed, Brother Thomas McBride was the first to preach these views in Missouri. In the year 1813, he moved from Barren county, Kentucky, and was a lifelong advocate of the doctrine that the Bible is the Christian's only creed ; that baptism is scrip- turally administered by immersion; and that the name Christian is the true name for the disciples of Christ. My visit, of which I am speaking, was made in the year 1839 or 1840, and my first since I had fully received and avowed the doctrine of the current Reformation. Eldee Samuel Rogers. 161 As before stated, I had, about the time of my last visit, glimpses of the truth, and was quite satisfied upon the subject of the call to the ministry; but as yet there had been no formal union of the old Christian people with the Baptists who had adopted Brother Campbell's views; nor was there any radical change in the organiza- tion of our congregations, especially in Missouri. But by this time all the congregations which I met with had been brought fully into the light of Apostolic Christian- ity, though in and around Franklin they were much discouraged, having but one preacher in the entire dis- trict, and he only preaching among them on Lord's days, being a merchant, and wholly dependent upon his busi- ness for a living. This was Jas. ±C. Eule, who, with his brother, professed Christianity in old Concord, while living at my house, in Nicholas county, Kentucky. He moved to Missouri in an early day, and, being a faithful Christian, he went about doing good upon every favorable occasion. I give Brother Rule credit for do- ing all he could under the circumstances, notwithstand- ing some of the congregations in his region of country were almost extinct, and others were in a low state, spiritually. Here I found Philip Miller, a native of Nicholas county, Kentucky, who, at the time of his re- moval to Missouri, was a Baptist; but afterwards be- came a convert to the views of B. W. Stone, under the preaching of Elder Thomas McBride. Miller was a man of rare good sense, and exerted a happy influence in his neighborhood. James McBride, son of Thonias McBride, married Miller's daughter, and became a use- ful preacher, and until his removal to Springfield kept up quite a religious interest among the people in the neighborhood. The removal of McBride was a great misfortune to the churches in the vicinity. After his departure many troubles arose, many apostasies occurred, and even Philip Miller, who had been an example to the flock, now was about ready to give up the ship. Knowing him to be a man of noble impulses, and capable ot doing a great 162 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF amount of good, it was my first object to revive his flagging spirits and put him to work. My first meeting was held at his house, near the place where my mother then lived, and is now sleeping. The news of the meeting had been well circulated, and the people came out in great numbers to hear ; some from the opposite side of the river, others from adjacent neighborhoods, in such numbers that we had not room for them in the house. We had a blessed revival in the church and in the world. Sinners came weeping, and weeping saints embraced them, and we all rejoiced to- gether. Hands that had been hanging down were strengthened, and spirits that had been despondent were now revived. Philip Miller became almost wild with delight. For a time sectarianism had been very quiet; but now that our cause had received a new impulse, and our peo- , pie were aroused from their stupidity, and were at work in good earnest, the opposition became more violent, so that no means was spared, upon their part, to stop the onward progress of the gospel in its ancient simplicity, and to fortify themselves against our attacks. I do not remember how long these meetings lasted, but if nothing more had been accomplished upon this tour than what was done here, we had great reason to rejoice in the fruit of our labors. Philip Miller expressed his determination to live a more active and consistent Christian life, and well and faithfully did he keep these solemn vows. His son Samuel has since expressed it as his opinion, that this meeting saved his father from apostasy. At the close of this memorable meeting, Brother Philip Miller and others insisted upon my giving them another appointment. This I could not do during my present visit to the State. It was then urged that I should return home, and arrange with my Antioch brethren to let me off for a few months, and come back as speedily as possible to this field of labor which seemed to be so promising. Brother Miller, to make as- Eldee Samuel IIogees. 163 surance doubly sure, proposed to advance one hundred dollars towards my compensation. All that I could do in the ease was to make them a conditional promise. Upon my return home, I consulted my family first, and then laid the matter before the brethren, asking them to decide the whole question in the light of all the circumstances. The brethren consented to let me off for three months, believing that the circumstances of the case demanded it. A few of my friends criticised me for making so many changes. They thought me natur- ally fond of roving from place to place, in search of novelties, rather than in search of fields of greater use- fulness. I am free to admit that the course of my past life gives some foundation for such a charge. But this fault of mine is the result of making a bad use of a true principle. I have always believed it to be my duty to go where I could do the most good, without for a mo- ment consulting convenience, ease or pleasure. But my mistake lies in the fact, that I have often hastened to conclusions without weighing with sufficient care all the facts and circumstances of the case, and not in any love of change or novelties. 164 Autobiography Of CHAPTEE XXVI. Fourth visit to Missouri.— Conversion of a skeptia — Sermon on Elec- tion. — Total Depravity.— Being born in a potato-patch does not make you a potato. — Being shapen in the forest does not give you the nature of a tree. Upon returniDg to my Missouri field of labor, I found the opposition to our cause intensified and systematized. The scattered ranks of our religious opposers had been suddenly brought together, and they were ready for a combined attack upon what they chose to call the soul- destroying heresy of Campbellism. I can not say that I liked this state of things; but I believe it was to my ad- vantage, and in favor of our cause. It stimulated me to increased activity and boldness in preaching the ancient gospel in its simplicity, and in defining our distinctive plea with more precision. Their misrepresentations, meanwhile, were so glaring, that I had an easy conquest of it. They accused us of denying the Divinity of Christ; of casting aside, as useless, the Old Scriptures; of baptizing infidels; of teaching that water washed away sins ; that if we could get people under the water we declared them safe for heaven ; that we had no use for evangelical faith : and I can not say how many things they accused us of teaching, the like of which we had never dreamed of, and things that would shock the com- mon sense of man. The result of this kind of opposi- tion was, that we found ourselves well advertised, all over the country, and so many strange and absurd things had been said about us, that enemies as well as friends came to hear us, giving us generally large audi- ences everywhere, before whom we had a fine oppor- tunity of repelling these slanders, and presenting primi- tive Christianity. Scores of enemies came to hear, believing these vile stories, who, after hearing for themselves, were compelled, as honest men, to con- Elder Samuel Rogers. 165 fess that we had been slandered. Many of this class, upon hearing a few times, were so pleased with the doc- trine which they heard, that they abandoned sectarian- ism, and became our fast friends. If I were to give a detailed account of every meeting held during these months, it would be a repetition of almost the same thing. The field was indeed ripe for the. harvest. The people were anxious, and came by hundreds to hear the gospel, and scores were converted. Many, also, were reclaimed who had forgotten their first love. I shall never forget the conversion of a noble-minded man by the name of Davis, who had heard so much con- tradictory and false religion preached, that he became confused and disgusted with everything bearing the name of religion, and resolved never to have anything more to do with it. He informed me that he had allowed those absurd notions which he had heard from sectarian pulpits to drive him into downright skepti- cism. While in this state of mind, he heard that a " Camp- bellite" was preaching strange things in the neighbor- hood, and he concluded to venture out, and hear what he had to say. He had heard of Campbellites as a sort of half infidels, who held to every absurd notion, almost, imaginable. He entered the house and took his seat, just as I was reading my text from I. Peter i., as fol- lows: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace unto you and peace be multiplied." I endeavored to show, that according to Macknight and others, whose learning and wisdom qualified them to speak with author- ity upon the subject, the apostles meant to convey the idea, that the election of believers was according to an arrangement which God had previously made known — that God had made known long before the coming of Christ, how men were to be elected to the salvation he had devised. I showed that elections in the State are 166 AUTOBIOQEAPHY OF carried on according to the law and the Constitution of said State, previously arranged and made known, viz. : according to the foreknowledge of the framers of the Constitution — that every man elected at all, must be elected according to that previous arrangement which had been made and promulgated. I showed that, how- ever men might have been elected before the adoption of the Constitution, it is certain that since that time, the demands of the law regulating elections must be met, to make an election valid ; and that the law clearly defined, first, the character of the person to be elected to office, and, secondly, the mode and manner of holding said election. I then applied my illustration by showing tliat God had made and promulgated the law concerning the election of men to a place in his kingdom; and how- ever, and to whatever men had been elected before the promulgation of this law of pardon, or election to the favor of God under the reign of King Jesus, it was ab- solutely certain, that since its promulgation, men must be elected according to the divine law regulating the case. I then proceeded to show that the kingdom was set up on the day of Pentecost, proving it by the fact that, up t» that time, its setting up was referred to as an event yet to take place, and that after that time it was referred to as an event which had already taken place. I also proved that Peter was the proper person to publish the law of election, and that Jerusalem was the place from which it was to go forth, and that- the day of Pentecost was the proper time. And I proved that this proper person, at the proper time and place, did open the polls, laying down the rules regulating the election, and that three thousand men were elected, -according to this pre- vious arrangement of God the Father, through sanctifioa- tion of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, said I, the same law js in force to-day for you; and the same commission is in force now that was given to the apostles, to preach the gospel to every nation ; and that law is, " He that be- Eldee Samuel Eogees. 167 lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved." I then declared the polls open, and asked all to come forward who de- sired to be elected. This man Davis was the first to arise and come forward. Being something of a poli- tician, he understood my illustrations, and as he came forward, he cried out, " 1 am a candidate for election, and had I understood the subject as I now do, I should have been elected long ago." Sixteen more followed him upon the same invitation, and a glorious victory was won that day for the truth. Close akin to this doctrine of election, is that of total hereditary depravity, which is one of the main pillars of sectarianism. The people had been taught to believe that they were so completely depraved, that they could not think a good thought, nor perform a good action; and they had willingly accepted the doctrine that they were incapable of doing anything whatever, in order to the enjoyment of salvation. They wanted to know my opinion of certain texts bearing upon this subject, one of which was the following : " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." I told them that this text might establish the fact that the parent was depraved-; but it certainly did not follow, from anything it taught, that the children were de- praved, much less did it teach the doctrine of total and hereditary depravity. Said I, suppose David had said, " Behold, I was shapen in the woods, and in the forest did my mother conceive me ; would that prove that he was a tree, or even that, he partook of the nature of trees? Or if any one should declare that he was born in a potato-patch, would that prove that he was a pota- to, or anything of the kind ? 1 admit that my illustra- tions were homely, and they might now be called vulgar, but they had the effect to silence the batteries of the enemy, as far as I know. But it must remembered that I was among a plain-spoken, pioneer people, who did not stand upon the elegancies and niceties of things. _ They were satisfied with language which conveyed the idea of the speaker clearly, whether it was according to the 168 AUTOBIOGEAPHy OF latest rules of rhetoric, or not. They were offended at jne for charging them with digging up the dry bones of this doctrine, which had been buried nearly three thou- sand years ago by Ezekiel the prophet, who preached its funeral and laid it away to sleep in the grave forever, never dreaming that in these last days any prophet would become so fond of the relics of the dark ages, as to dig up these bones and endeavor to infuse into them life again. I read to them a part of this ancient funeral discourse: " What mean ye by using this proverb con- cerning the land of Israel, saying. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall have occasion no more to use this proverb in Israel. The soul that sin- iieth' it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upoA him.'^ I rejoice to believe that our religious neighbors are, in these latter days, becoming ashamed of their speculations, both upon the subject of Calviij- ism, and total hereditary depravity. I judge that they are ashamed of them, from the fact that they rarely re- fer to them in tiieir sermons. When I began this second missionary tour of labor, I supposed that at the close of the allotted time, the churches and the cause in this district would be upon a footing so firm that I might leave the field without detriment to the cause of truth. In this I was mis- taken. Every day the field became wider and more in- viting, and the opposition became more violent and con- centrated. If there was reason for my returning.before, there was much greater reason now. The Macedonian cry was coming up from every part of the country — " Come and help us." I received petitions from various churches and from individuals, urging me to remain a little longer, or, if I could not do so, to return again by all means, and spend a few more months iu the field. The enemies of truth had become so hostile, that the Elder Samuel Eogees. 169 strongest and best brethren in the district feared that the result of my leaving them now might turn out dis- astrously. I knew not what to do ; for I felt the force of their arguments, and appreciated their plea. But my family was large, and needed my presence every day, and my poor wife had lived almost like a widow more than half her life. The fact that she had always been willing for me to go where the Lord called, did not relieve me, for I felt that I was imposing upon good na- ture. It was also true, on the other hand, that my family were among friends tried and true, who were ready to give any assistance needed, and that my wife, with the help of the older children, managed affairs about as well as I could have done ; yet I was needed at home, and I felt much inclined to commit to the breth- ren and the Lord the keeping of the cause in this coun- try, and return to the bosom of my family, and give up what appeared to be too much of a roving life, for re- pose in -the bosom of a family now anxiously awaiting my return. But when I thought of abandoning this people, and leaving them as sheep without a shepherd, I was in a strait betwixt two. At the close of my work, and while preparing for my journey, entreaty after entreaty was made, both by individuals and congregations, to return at my earliest possible convenience, if it were only to stay for a very short time. So, upon leaving them, I promised that after consult- ing with my family and friends, if I felt it to be the wni of the Lord — and that was saying simply that if I felt it to be my duty — I would return. Upon my arrival at home I found all well, and everything prospering beyond my expectations. My son-in-law was preach- ing to the church with great acceptability, and the cause was prospering generally. Upon presenting the case of the cause in Missouri to my wife, she answered very calmly, that she had long since determined to leave all those matters at the bar of my own conscience ; that if I felt it to be my duty to go, she should put no 8 170 Autobiography of obstacle in my way; but if I felt that I could serve my Master as well at home, she would be happy. We prayed and talked much, however, upon the subject, un- til I think my wife began to feel that I ought to go back for a season, and help those people whom I had left in an almost helpless condition. Eldee Samuel Rogees. 171 CHAPTEE XXVII. Fourth trip to Missouri.— Tricks of opposers. —Owens. —Bowman baptizes face-foremost. — His converts leave him. — An earnest call to return to Missouri. When I started again upon the journey, she said to me, " Go now, and the Lord be with you ; but I hope you may, upon your return, be able to say, ' I have come home to stay.' But," she added, " the will of the Lord be done." To make a long story short, my work so in- creased upon my hands that, from week to week, as I proceeded, instead of seeing an end of it, it seemed to be but fairly beginning. Multitudes had yielded obedience to the faith ; multitudes more were almost persuaded. The country had undergone a complete religious revolu- tion. Our success had only added fuel to the flames of opposition ; so that there was now as great need as ever of bold and fearless defenders of the faith. Unfortu- nately, the young men who had begun preaching had not sufficient experience to conduct a successful campaign against their opposers. Some of them were young men of promise; but, being modest and timid, as well as inexperienced, I felt that it would work disastrously to commit to them alone the entire work of this large district. For the sake of decency, saying nothing of the effect upon the cause of Christianity, I would be ashamed to mention all the low and vulgar tricks resorted to for the purpose of bringing our cause into disrepute. No poli- tician could stoop much lower for the purpose of de- stroying the reputation, and overthrowing the cause, of an adversary, than some of the opposition did in their attempts to stay the tide of success that followed the proclamation of the Apostolic gospA in this country. We will not disguise the fact that these things were cal- culated to betray us into the use of much harsher Ian- 172 Autobiography op guage towards our opposers than we can now approve. On one occasion, as I was reading from John Wesley's doctrinal tracts, to prove that he made as much of bap- tism as we did, and that he believed immersion to have been the ancient mode of baptism, a Class-leader by the name of Owens arose, and declared before a large audi- ence that what I was professing to read was all a lie of my own getting-up. After I showed him the texts I was reading, though he had to admit that the words were there, still he contended that it was a forgery ; that John Wesley never held such sentiments. Soon after this, I met Mr. Owens in company with his Presiding Elder, Mr. Compton, to whom I referred the question in dispute; and, though his Presiding Elder agreed with me, still Mr. Owens insisted that what I had read upon the subject of baptism was a forgery, intro- duced for the purpose of sustaining our cause. I had been preaching in the town of Pinckney, on the Missouri River, in the house of one Colonel Gi'iswold, a man oL high position in the neighborhood, who had generously opened his house to all who desired to use it for religious worship. But when our opposers discov- ered that we were getting the ears of the people and baptizing many of them, they petitioned Colonel Gris- wold to close the doors against us. They told him that I was a vile heretic, not to be tolerated ; that I denied the divinity of Christ; that I did not believe in the work of the Spirit ; that I had no use for saving faith ; that I substituted water in the place of the blood of Christ; and I know not how many vile slanders they circulated of the same sort. Mr. Griswold, however, informed my accusers that the house was his own, and he claimed the privilege of opening it to whomsoever he • pleased. These foul slanders, which were circulated for. the purpose of prejudicing our cause, had the very opposite effect ; for the people came to hear us in still greater numbers, and, becoming convinced from what they heard that we were a much abused people, their sympathies Elder Samuel Eogees. 173 were enlisted in our favor, and multitudes were induced to bow to the authority of the Prince of Peace. Among the number was Colonel Griswold and his entire family, of whom we shall have more to say hereafter. It was not long before our opposers abandoned this house, assigning as a reason that they could not conscientiously occupy the same house with such vile heretics. So this fruitful field was left to me altogether. It was a school-boy saying in the olden times, that "Cheating luck can never thrive;" and it is true now that the more unreasonable and vio- lent the opposition of our foes, the more assured will be our success, if we are found in the faithful discharge of duty. The last meeting held there by our opposers was conducted by a Mr. Bowman, whose converts refused to take sprinkling for baptism. He then proposed to im- merse them, but, with the exception of one youth, they all came to me, and requested baptism at my hands, say- ing that they would not consent to be immersed by one who did not believe in immersion himself. Bowman undertook to immerse one youth only. This boy he took down into the water, made him kneel, and then attempted to put him under face foremost. The boy, never having seen anything of this sort, resisted Bowman's attempt to thrust his head under, the water, broke away from him, and ran home. This youth also came to me, and I baptized him in a decent manner. I then sent the circuit-rider word to send all his converts to me, and I would take pleasure in baptizing them ac- cording to the ancient mode. Bowman returned the answer that I, in baptizing, introduced the candidate to his Master back foremost, and that he, with becoming re- spect, always introduced him face foremost. I could not help answering him again, that I did not doubt the fact that he held his master in very high esteem, and, from the fact that he always introduced persons to him face downwards, I must conclude that his master was from beneath ; that my Master being in the .heavens, I was disposed to baptize with face upturned. This man, soon after the disgraceful affair with the boy, was 174 Autobiography of taken down with a severe attack of chills, which he as- cribed to going into the water. I told him that he de- served to be severely shaken for attempting to scandalize a sacred ordinance in such a manner; that I hoped he might be shaken until thorough repentance was pro- duced. I record these facts simply for the sake of giv- ing some faint idea of the times of which I am speaking, and without endorsing altogether my own conduct in the premises. The meeting which I held in Griswold's house re- sulted in, more than forty additions, many of them being heads of families and leaders in society. After this, I was sent for to hold a meeting in a place called Sieter's Island, twelve miles above Pinckney. This was a very wealthy and godless neighborhood. There were a few honorable exceptions, but, as a rule, they were regular worshipers of mammon. This was in the neighborhood of an influential fkmily by the name of Shobe, relations of the Griswolds. This family received me with marked kindness, and attended to the things which they had heard. I conducted my meetings in a house belonging to the Baptists, and had the privilege of receiving an entire Baptist family into the church. Their name was Finney. Some time before, they had offered themselves for the purpose of joining the Baptist church, but objec- tion was made to Mr. Finney, because, in relating his experience, he was not willing to say that he believed himself to be the greatest sinner in the world. This he said he could not do without telling a falsehood. My next meeting was at the house of a sister by the name of Ray. At the conclusion of my first discourse, her daughter, who was confined to her bed with an attack of chills, "made the confession, and desired to be im- mersed. I suggested to her that it might be proper to wait a few days; but she insisted upon being immersed immediately. We, therefore, conveyed her to the water, and immersed her, after which I learned that she never had another chill. I have no doubt but the treatment was the best that could have- been practiced in her case. Elder Samuel Eogees. 175 There is much foolish timidity indulged in by people of little experience in regard to going into water. Among all the thousands that I have seen baptized, I have never known one injured. During this missionary tour, I constituted several new congregations according to the Apostolic doctrine, the largest among them being the one on Burbois River, a tributary of the Merrimac. Philip Miller assisted me much in establishing this church. The people there very justly hold him in grateful remembrance. Our first ap- pearance in that neighborhood was under very unfavor- able circumstances, judging according to human judg- ment. Reports had gone out before us that we were coming to make war upon the Methodists, with the pur- pose of breaking up their churches, as it was reported I had done in Warren county. Of course, the object in circulating these stories was to forestall public opinion, and prevent us from getting a hearing. The devil is often caught in his own trap, and this was one of the in- stances. The effort made to keep people from hearing excited their curiosity, and brought them out by scores to hear. The most of them were disappointed, for they had expected to hear me abuse other people, and to use bitter epithets towards them. But, having heard- nothing but the presentation, in a plain and simple style, of what I called the Gospel of Christ, they went away satisfied that we had been misrepresented. The consequence was that the gospel swept over that country like fire in stub- ble, and we left a large and flourishing church there. A remarkable incident occurred there, which is worth re- lating. A Methodist preacher by the name of Shockley, hav- ing become highly exasperated at us, came forward on one occasion, and opposed us in terms so harsh and un- reasonable that his talk sounded more like the ravings of a madman than the discourse of a preacher of the gospel. In the midst of his ravings, he was seized with convulsions, and fell to the floor as suddenly as if he had been shot. His friends were alarmed for him, as he lay 176 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OP like a dead man. He soon recovered, however, and, after giving us a patient hearing, acknowledged his error, em- braced those views which he had so violently opposed, and went forward, preaching the Apostolic doctrine with as much zeal as he had before opposed it. As far as I know, he continued faithful. I do not relate this for the purpose of conveying the idea that God struck this man down in this manner because he was opposing the truth. I suppose that his madness brought on convulsions, and that these convulsions brought him to his reason, and then reason owned the truth. I had here a little discussion with another preacher, whose name I have forgotten, but whose foolish objec- tion to immersion I remember well. It is strange how an objection so flimsy and groundless as the one he used should gain currency, and be considered of such import- ance as it is by the advocates of a bad cause. That is, if baptism is a condition of salvation, then the interest of the soul is suspended upon what might, in certain cases, become an impossibility; as, for instance, in dry countries, when there is not enough water to immerse in, or, in cold countries, when the water is all frozen. I an- swered him that no people had ever inhabited a country where water could not be found in sufficient quantities for purposes of immersion. They might pass through such a country, but, in the nature of things, it would be impossible for them to live there as permanent inhabi- tants ; and that, if it were possible for people to inhabit such countries, then they would be dealt with in the judgment on the principle that will govern the cases of deaf persons, who can not obey the command to hear; and as blind persons, who are commanded to look ; or idiots, who are commanded to believe ; or dumb persons, who are commanded to sing, etc.: according to the rule that when much is given, much will be required; and that when little is given, little will be required. I added that my faith in God was such that, if it should become the duty of any one to live in a country where it was either so cold and frozen, or so dr^ and parched, that Eldek Samuel Rogers. 177 enough water eould not be obtained fi)r purposes of im- mersion, and that if the command was absolute, then I believed that God would dig a pool with his own hand, rather than allow his word to fail. Instead of spending three months on this mission, I saw no end to it until six months had expired. My last meeting was amongst the most successful. It was in St. John's meeting-house, in Franklin county. Several promising young men came in at that meeting who be- came very useful to the Church. Among them were the two Valentines. One of them I ordained, and he be- came a good teacher of Christianity. My labors having closed, I was ready and anxious to return to the bosom of my family once more. As I was about to start, petitions came in from various quarters urging me either to remain a little longer, or else return again and hold a fow more meetings. Under all the cir- cumstances of the case, I was peculiarly embarrassed. I knew how important it was to the cause that some one of experience should be here a while longer. Being fa- miliar with the field, I could appreciate the feelings of the brethren and the demands of the case. To a man who really fears God, and appreciates the value of an immortal soul, it is no little thing to turn a deaf ear to the cries of men who are ready to perish. I have been criticised for remaining so much away from home, as if I had a right to control my time and strength in any way that might suit my pleasure. But, in my case, the question stood thus : hundreds around me are perishing for the bread of life, which I have it in my power to supply without peril to either the souls or bodies of my own children. They are supplied with what is needful for the body, and have the blessed influences of religion pressing upon them on every side. They are in the midst of religious people ; they have a godly mother, whose counsel and example is all that could be desired ; who prays with them, talks to them, and lives Christ before them. Now, if I turn ray back upon these starv- ing souls, at whose door will the responsibility rest in 8* ' . 178 Autobiography op the day of God, when they shall be driven away into outer darkness ? Will none of them say to me, " You did it"? From considerations like these, I determined to say positively neither yea nor nay upon the subject, but to leave it an open question, to be decided by the best lights before me upon my arrival at home. This, however, I determined : that, if I should return, it would be to stay at least a year, and that my family must be with me; and so I stated to the brethren. This inspired them with some degree of hope, and, therefore, they prepared a pe- tition, setting forth in a preamble the necessities of the case, asking, by almost every consideration that could move us to decide favorably, that we consent to come and spend at least a year with them. They proposed to pay all the expenses of moving back and forth, and to compensate us reasonably for all the sacrifices we were called upon to make. With this petition, I returned home, and was almost ashamed to show it to my wife, or to intimate that I thought we ought to consider it favor- ably, so gracefully and cheerfully had she heretofore yielded to every demand of a like nature. In due time, however, I handed her the petition, and, after a most solemn and prayerful consideration of it, shall I say she decided it to be our duty to go? Yes, to the praise of that woman, be it said ; that woman whose first and highest aim always was to have the smiles and approba- tion of her God ; that woman to whom I owe more than to all others ; that woman to whom the world is indebted more than can ever be repaid. Her comfort, her con- venience, her pleasure, she was never known to bring into the account against her duty to God. When but a young bride, I was called to my country's service, and, with a bright face and tearful eye, she said, " Go, and the Lord keep you." And since the first day that God called me to fight in tlie army of King Jesus, she said, " Go." The only change she made in the premises was, that we should stay two years, and by that time I might have my work in shape to leave it. Elder Samuel Eogeks. 179 CHAPTER XXVII r. Fifth tour to Missouri.— Baptism of a dying girl.— Revival in Gascon- ade Valley.— A house built and the cause, permanent. — Young Hopson shaving shingles.— He rises above suspicion.- A traveling companion for two years.— His politeness and humility.— One makes the log-heap, the other fires it.— The teacher sits at the feet of the pupil.— Ham's text; foolish preaching.— Thomas M. Allen. I rented out my little farm in the month of Septem- ber, and, having put my affairs in shape for the journey, started for Missouri. About the first of October, we landed at South Point, and took up our abode at Gris- wold City, a village near by, where we had our head- quarters for about a year. I reaped the first important fruits of this mission in a rich and beautiful valley of the Gasconade River, in Gasconade county. In this grand valley lived a number of wealthy families, who had moved from the south branch of the Potomac, Virginia, and among whom the most prominent names were : the Parsons, Shobes, Hulls, Atkinses, Perines. These people had brought with them not only much wealth, but a large amount of worldly wisdom and pride. The men of the valley were mainly unbelievers, and some were almost scoffers at religion. The circumstance that led to the introduction of the gospel into this valley, and to the conversion of this carnal-minded people,, was as follows: The eldest "daughter of James Parsons, being in a state of declining health, had been staying at her aunt Griswold's, under the treatment of a physician. During this sojourn, hav- ing availed herself of the opportunity to hear me preach, she became convinced of the truth, and demanded bap- tism at my hands. But her physician prevented the accomplishment of her desire. Meanwhile, the poor girl returned home, and, finding that her days upon 180 Autobiography of earth were about numbered, she desired her father, who was an unconverted man, to baptize her. He declined, saying, that he was not worthy to perform so sacred a rite. But his daughter still urged nim to baptize her, saying, that she understood me to teach that the validity of an ordinance does not depend upon the administrator. The family, and all of the friends, were deeply moved by the entreaties of the dying girl ; but they felt them- selves helpless in her presence. They sent far and near for a preacher, but none could be found. The hour of her dissolution was rapidly approaching, and the family were suffering the most painful suspense, lest the girl should die without an opportunity of consummating the desire of her believing heart. .In the midst of this sus- pense the dear child solved the problem, and was conse- quently relieved. Siie remembered that the old colored "mammy" of the family, was a pious, God-fearing woman; she called her and demanded baptism at her hands. The poor old servant could not deny her young mistress anything that would make her happy, and, more especially, when she was in so much distress; so she con- sented, and, a bath-tub being provided, Sarah, the be- lieving girl, was baptized by the old nurse, and was happy from that hour to the time of her death. This was eloquent preaching to that worldly-minded peo- ple ; it was the opening of the iron doors of many hearts to the reception of the gospel. The dying girl, having learned that it was expected that I would soon arrive at Griswold, sent word to her aunt, that if, upon my arrival, she was still living, I must come immediately to see her; but, if she should die before my coming, it was her request that I should- preach her funeral. A few days after we landed, the news came that the dear child of faith was dead, and I hastened to fulfill her dying request. The funeral was preached at her father's house, where were assembled those worldly-minded men, whose hearts had never yet been touched by gospel truth. Judging by what I thea saw — and afterwards learned: — very few of those proud Elder Samuel Rogebs. 181 ■ men left the house as they had come into it. The story of the conversion, baptism, and happy death of Sarah Parsons, was the wedge that opened their minds and hearts. All knew her and loved her. I had then only to preach to them Jesns, and the work was done. Eter- nity alone can tell the result of that day's work. I continued preaching in that valley, more or less, for months, which resulted in the conversion of a large ma- jority of the people, and the erection of a house of worship which, I believe, is standing yet, though only occupied once or twice a year, owing to the fact that the organi- zation removed to a new church, which they built at Chamois, a short distance, only, away. The work which I accomplished, as an humble instru- ment under God, in Gasconade Valley, has been the source of great joy, not only to myself, but also to hun- dreds who date their conversion from that revival. More than thirty years after that time, I met a German preacher by the name of Stirwig, who told me that the truth first broke in upon his mind at one of my Gascon- ade meetings. He moved to Texas; was there baptized by one of our brethren, and since that time has devoted his talents and money to the gospel. I also, last year, met an old colored preacher, who was converted at the same time, and who is now a pious, humble, intelligent proclaimer of the ancient gospel. About this time I was approached by a tall, spare youth of about eighteen summers, neat in his attire; graceful, gentle and dignified in his bearing; with an in- telligent eye and charming voice — altogether, such a one as would at once command respect, and, at the same time, excite the suspicion of the beholder that he might be a scion of the stock of F. F. V.'s, of old colony times. He bore letters from Abram Miller, of Millers- burg, Calloway county, recommending him to me as a pious youth, who desired to devote his life to the work of the ministry, and who wished to place himself under my care. He also brought letters highly commendatory to Philip Miller, then of Franklin county. Philip 182 Autobiography of Miller was a man of great goodness of heart, but very plain-spoken, and sometimes blunt — almost offensively so. When the young man approached Miller, Miller was busy shaving shingles, and, as if to test him, asked the very blunt question : " Young man, do you think you are of any account? Can yon shave shingles?" " I suppose I can," was the reply. " Well," said Miller, "take off your coat and try." The youth, nothing daunted, threw off his coat, took hold of the drawing Itnife with his white, tender hands, and went to work as if he had served an apprenticeship at the business of shingle-making. A few minutes satisiied Miller that the handsome youth was no humbug j so he urged him to resign the knife, saying, " That will do, sir." This, to us, appears a trifling incident; but it was enough to endear the young man to Philip Miller for life ; it was the begin- ning of a lasting friendship. Years afterwards I heard Philip Miller tell how his admiration had been excited by the simple determination expressed on this occasion by the youth, and how his sympathies had been aroused by the discovery of great blisters, which the knife had raised on the delicate hands. This young man placed himself at once under my care, for the purpose of training himself to the hard- ships of the Christian warfare ; and I take pleasure in bearmg witness that this young Timothy served his father for two years, as faithfully and lovingly as any Timothy could serve. At first I put him to blowing and striking for me — to use a blacksmith's phrase — but, finding him a young man of great promise, I put him in the lead, requiring him to deliver the opening discourses, generally, while I followed with exhortation. I have had a long and a varied experience in helping young men into usefulness ; but have never been better satisfied with the progress of any man with whom I have been associated, than the young man, Winthrop Hopson. His discourses were finely arranged ; quite logical, clear and forcible. They were always delivered in the Ei.DEE Samuel Eogees. 183 finest language, yet presented in a manner so simple that- a child could comprehend them. On this account I generally put him forward to preach the sermons, and I followed with exhortations. In this way we labored to- gether to great profit ; for his forte was preaching,; mine, exhortation. We always traveled together, and in the circuit of four or five counties, accomplished a grand and glorious work, which eternity alo'ne can fully reveal. The old men to this day dwell with animation upon the transactions of those primitive times, when I did the grubbing, and Winthrop piled the brush ; or, when Winthrop made the log-heaps, and I fired them. Or, in a different phrase, they speak of his shooting with a rest, always hitting the mark ; and of my shooting off-hand, taking the game on the wing. These phrases, homely though they be, very aptly describe the manner of our work. This very difference in manner and method, gave efficiency to our labors, and made each more useful to the other. Our union was sweet, and our harmony complete throughout the campaign. Winthrop sat at my feet, like a little child, to receive, both by precept and ex- ample, all I had to give that would make him useful in the vineyard of his Master; and I sometimes found it profitable to reverse the order and become his pupil. Him I found to be an accomplished scholar; and I knew myself to be very defective, even in the King's English; so I requested him to criticise and correct me, when there should be necessity for it, and to do this without hesitation. This he did; but with a manner so humble and gracious, as to almost make me feel that my fault was a virtue. Dear boy, how I loved him ! I have said that he was always neat in his dress, and dignified in his bearing. Owing to this fact, many poor people appeared a little shy of him on first acquaintance. To dwell in log cabins and dress in homespun, was the style in those days in that country. Upon entering the cabins of these lowly people, Winthrop was quick to de- tect the cause of shyness upon the part of the inmates, and always ready to remove it by his easy, gentle way 184 Autobiography of of making himself perfectly at home, and appearing as if he had been used to nothing better in all his life. He was a very magnet to little children, and possessed that rare faculty of remembering their names, so that, meet them where he might, he would address them by their proper names, and make them feel easy in his presence. He was never vulgarly familiar with any one, old or young, and was never guilty of the use of slang phrases, and could not be tempted to approach even the precincts of a conversation vulgar or smutty. When he entered a house, it seemed to be his first study to avoid giving trouble to any one. Winthrop H. Hopson had then, and now has, the appearance of being stiff and proud j but this is only the man as he appears to the stranger. Let him come near to you, and all this appearance of haughtiness and pride will vanish; for, it is like beauty, only skin deep. To know him and to love him, your acquaintance must extend beneath the surface. I wish the young men of this day, who have not one-half so much to puff them up with pride as he had, were as humble and teachable as he. Being handsome and ac- compliehed, and belonging to a family which took rank among the best of that country, or any other country, it is not strange that he should have been greatly loved and honored by the young and old of all classes. But it is passing strange that his head should not have been a little turned by the attentions and compliments he re- ceived. I never knew him to compromise his dignity in any manner ; what is better, he maintained a pure and spot- less character. Winthrop prudently avoided the meshes of matri- mony, as well as every appearance of the kind, until after our separation ; then he married a charming Chris- tian girl, whom I had baptized — Rebecca Parsons, the fourth daughter of Col. James Parsons, before alluded to. We found many of the preachei-s i« the bounds of our circuit to be shamefully ignorant and conceited. I give below a specimen which may suflSce: On a certain Elder Samuel Rogers. 185 occasion, as Winthropr and I were on our way to Gas- conade, we came to a school-house, and, halting, learned that a meeting was in progress there. Winthrop pro- posed that we should hitch our horses, and hear a ser- mon. ii!ccordingly, we entered, took our seats near the door, so as to create as little disturbance as possible. We found that the pulpit was occupied by the Rev. Mr. Ham, a Baptist preacher, who was in the midst of a dis- course, in which he was attempting to establish his call to the ministry. Among other proofs, he quoted from I. Cor. i. 21: "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." Either in haste or ignorance, or both, he quoted the pas- sage ; " It pleased God, by foolish preaching, to save," etc. 'Now, my tongue has always been an unruly mem- ber, but that day it was especially unruly, so that, before I had time to bridle it, I cried out: "Thank God, if foolish preaching will save Missouri, she is indeed safe." Poor, modest Winthrop could not stand his ground, but bolted in an instant. Not so with Ham. He seemed delighted with my compliment, having failed entirely to catch my idea. When I rejoined Winthrop, and re- hearsed the outcome of the matter, he seemed to be as much relieved as he was amused at the man's ignorance. There are those, perhaps, who may think that I should not have said so much about my Timothy. But. such persons must know that what I have said is specially for the benefit of young preachers, who, when they read this, may take my boy-preacher for a pattern. I do not know that what I ,am writing will ever see the light ; lest it should, I must add a few more words upon the same subject, and for the same pui-pose. No loving son could ever be more attentive to the wants of a father, than was Winthrop Hopson to mine. On stopping for the night, his first and increasing care was my comfort. I must be first seated, must have the best chair, and have it in the best place. If there were two beds offered us, I must have choice; or, if we had to 186 AUTOBIOGEAPHY OF occupy the same bed, I must have choice of sides. In those days money was scarce, and came to us in small in- stallments. When money was offered to him, he was in the habit of refusing it, as I learned, by saying, "I am young and have no family, I can get along without it ; give it to Uncle Sam; he has a large family to support, and needs all he can get." Thus he was ever regarding my welfare, and in his unselfishness forgetting his own comfort and convenience. On one occasion, as we were going to an appointment on the head waters of the Burbois River, we came to a tributary that was so swollen by a recent rain, that we were unable to ford it, and our embarrassment was in- creased by the fact that the canoe was on the other side. Winthrop, without a word, stripped himself, plunged into the turbid stream, and brought the canoe over, so that we were enabled to get across in good plight, and to meet our engagement promptly. How all this contrasts with that class of coarse, ill-bred young men, who act as if they suppose people will not hold them in honor, un- less they are very peevish, fretful, fault-finding, and troublesome, in general. Thirty years full of import, full of change and disap- pointment, have been numbered with those beyond the flood, since Winthrop and I traversed the Missouri hills and valleys together, bearing the joyful tidings of peace and love to the listening multitudes. But the results of the work begun by us will never pass away. At this distance from the scene, it were vain for me to attempt a description in detail, of the work which was accom- plished. Whole communities, almost, were turned from the service of sin unto the service of God. Where only the songs of the reveler had been heard before, you could now hear the songs of praises to our God. Family after family was completely transformed. I have reason to think that, when Winthrop and I get home, we will find a blessed congregation of those dear souls who were brought to Christ under our preaching, waiting for us at the gate. Elder Samuel Rogers, 187 It was with a heavy lieart tiiat I began to realize the near approach of the end of my missionary work in this country. Yet I had the consolation to know that God •had raised up men in this district, in whose hands the cause of truth would not suffer. If there had been no other, I could have entrusted the work to the hands of my Timothy with utmost confidence. But then there were others coming into usefulness. I can not name them all, but will speak of Jas. K. Rule, Ira and Levi Valentine, young men of promise ; also Brother Shock- ley, who bid very fair to become useful as a proclaimer. Besides, our beloved brother, T. M. Allen, was now ex- tending his labors to this district of country. These noble young men, with the wise counsels of Brother Allen, I felt assured would be quite able to carry on the begun work without niy assistance. T. M. Allen was Missouri's model evangelist and pioneer preacher. Hav- ing talents of a high order, a liberal education, refined manners, and a commanding appearance, with the gospel at his tongue's end, it is not strange that he became at once the model and teacher of so many young men of that region. I have heard it said that he could put more Bible truth into a single sermon than any man west of the Mississippi. It was fortunate for the young preachers of the State of Missouri, and for the cause they advocated, that they had such a model. I have heard this fact given as the main reason why the Mis- souri preachers of the present generation have taken such high rank, not only in their own State, but where- ever they have lived and labored. I have fancied that I could see something of T. M. Allen in most of those with whom I am acquainted. 188 Autobiography of CHAPTER XXIX. Leaves Missouri and sojourns awlille in Guernsey county, Indiana. —No rest for him who is called to save souls. -Settles in Car- lisle, Ky. — Preaches at Indian Creelc, Carlisle, and in Jessamine county. — Elkhorn Mission to the mountains.— William Rogers, with one wife and twenty-two children.- How he talked to the mountaineers about guns. — Crying babes. — Williaia Jarrott. At the close of my two years' mission in Missouri, I had not at my command money sufficient to defray our expenses back to our old home. I was looking forward to the " enduring substance," which was being laid up during those years of toil and care, where moth and rust can not corrupt. Thank God that, in the world to come, we will get all our back-pay, with interest compounded. Having borrowed money sufficient for our expenses, we moved late ia the autumn of 1843 as far on our way as Guernsey county, Indiana, where my son-in-law, William Utler, then lived. Here we sojourned for the winter and part of the summer following. After the incessant work and anxiety of the past three years, I had now for a season comparative rest, though all the time busy in doing what I could in confirming saints and turning the minds of the unconverted to God. ' I am now a very old man, and very nearly worn out in my Master's cause, yet I have never been in a field so barren that some fruit might not be gathered for Christ; nor have I ever been so tired that I did not feel myself able to do some work in the Lord's vineyard. Preachers of the gospel, if called to seek and to save the lost by a conviction of duty deep down in the heart, will accept no furlough here ; nor can they be contented in idleness for a single day. If, however, they are working for money, or praise from men, they will become tirea and quit the field when these motives are withdrawn.- In the olden times, we were often puzzled to determine as Elder Samuel Rogees. 189 to the genuineness of our call to the ministry. I have, however, no difficulty now in settling that question. If the preacher's call is genuine, he will never tire ; he will • " not fail, nor'be discouraged." The beloved Johnson used to say that he wanted no rest ; that he would not receive a "furlough. Said he : " If my Lord and Master were to come to me from the skies, and .were to say, ' You have been toiling hard for many years, and have endured many hardships for my name's sake, now take your rest; you have done enough;' I would say to him, 'Please, Master, let me woi'k a little longer in this glorious cause ; it is so de- lightful to work for you. Do not. Lord, deprive me of the exquisite pleasure of serving thee.' " During my sojourn in Indiana, I found plenty to do, though the field was not so inviting as I could desire. I visited many sick persons, and gave relief to many. Some there were, however, who, in spite of any words of comfort I had to offer, passed into the shades of death in hopeless despair. It is a fearful sight to behold a man die in despair who has been in sight of life and 4n easy reach of salvation aJl his days. Early in the summer of 1844, leaving my family with my son-in-law in Indiana, I visited my old neighborhood in Ohio, having been absent for more than two years. I found things greatly changed in many respects. I still had many warm friends there, but, in my absence, certain sen- timents had obtained a footing among them which I had reason to believe might antagonize my usefulness to such an extent as to make it expedient for me to seek some other field. So, upon rejoining my family, it was deter- mined that we should settle in Carlisle, Ky., the home oi" my brother, John Rogers, and the neighborhood of many dear and tried friends. My brother John Rogers and my son John assisted us in moving, and, by their aid, I was enabled to obtain a comfortable home in Car- lisle. Though my brother had been preaching for this church more than a quarter of a century, yet, in his un- selfishness, he induced the brethren to employ me one- 190 Autobiography of fourth of my time, and to otherwise assist me in securing a support for my family. Though my brother John was a very frugal man, and a model economist, and thus prospered in the world, yet, in acts of Christian benevo- lence, there were few, if any, preachers in Kentucky who surpassed him. He fulfilled the Scriptures in this, that he did not look on his own things 9nly, but also on the things of others. He contributed much to my com- fort during my stay in Carlisle, not only by securing me in employment at home, but also by getting employment for' me abroad. There was a small church, about midway between Millersburg and Cynthiana, called Indicutts, or Indian Creek. Several prominent membei's of this church were old friends and acquaintances of mine ; so soon, there- fore, as they heard of my arrival in the community, they invited me to preach one Lord's day in each month there. This I consented to do for about fifty dollars a year, which was equivalent to two hundred dollars for my whole time. This was about one-third less than or- dinary country salaries at that time. The balance of my time was taken up in evangelizing in Jessamine county, in conjunction with my brother John Rogers. Our work was distributed chiefly between the congregations of Keene, Liberty, Old Jessamine and Bethleliemj though we preached a few times during the year at other points. I do not remember the exact number gathered into these congregations by our joint labors that season ; I only remember that we had many very successful meetings, and that there was a general awakening throughout the county on the subject of religion. While preaching at Keene, I was sent for to baptize a Mr. Davis, who had been so reduced by a spell of pro- tracted sickness that his physician thought he could not recover. On my arrival at the house of the sick man, I learned that his physician, or rather his physicians, father and son, who were known by the name of Young, had peremptorily forbidden his being baptized. Believ- ing, from a long experience in such cases, that it could do Elder Samuel Rogers. 191 the man no harm, but might be of great advantage to him, I immersed him in spite of the physicians' protest. Not long after this, in passing on to an appointment, my brother and I stopped on the way at the house of old Father Symmes, in Nicholasville. Here I learned that the elder Dr. Young had threatened to cane me on sight ; and that he had been heard to say that, if Mr. Davis should die, he intended to have the "old Campbellite" tried for murder. The following day we passed by the house of Dr. Young, but heard nothing from him. I would not have been alarmed at meeting a dozen such men as Dr. Young, for I have long since learned that barking dogs rarely ever bite. On arriving at the place of our meeting, we were happy to learn that Brother Davis had so far recovered as to be able to ride to town, and purchase a Bible, which he was reading with great delight, and that he was among the happiest of living men. That same year we had happy seasons at Indicott's. Brother Jack Hatlan assisted me in a series of meetings, which resulted in many additions to the church and in infusing new life into the members generally. I was seven years in Carlisle, preaching there one-fourth of my time ; at Indicotts one-fourth, and the residue of my time I devoted to evangelizing, either in the employ of the State Board, or of some county cooperation, or some congregation. I can not now recall the fact whether these years were seven years of scarcity or plenty, in a temporal sense ; but I well remember they were years which yielded a copious harvest of souls throughout Kentucky. Those were the palmy days of Johnson, Gano, John Smith, Ricketts, Eice, Hall, Raines, Tompkins, Mor- ton, John Rogers, and others, who spent much of their time in evangelical work. The South Elkhorn congregation, always foremost in Christian liberality, and most active in every good work, having heard the Macedonian cry coming from the moun- tain districts of Kentucky, and wishing to respond at once, called me to labor in Estill, Owsley and some 192 Autobiography ar other mountain counties. While in the employ of this congregation, I devoted half my time each month to this mountain mission. On my first trip, I visited Irvin, Miller's Creek and Proctor, at the Three Forks of the Kentucky River, with forty baptisms as the result of these meetings. I was much pleased with the mountain people generally. It is true, they do not pay as much attention to their bodies as the people do in the plains, but I am inclined to the opinion that, according to their opportunities, they are more attentive to the interests of their souls. It was not unusual for them to come five or ten miles on foot to hear preaching ; and, after traveling this great distance, they manifested no weariness whatever, but would listen for any length of time without complaint. At that time there was not a wagon in Owsley county, aud very few in Estill. Horses were also scarce, and saddles a rarity. Consequently, the people accustomed themselves to traveling on foot almost altogether, so that it was no great hardship. One lady came on foot eight miles to hear me, and, becoming convinced that she ought to confess and obey Christ her Saviour, she asked her husband if he had any objection to her doing so ; but his opposition was so bitter that she returned home without submitting to the gospel. The next day, how- ever, she was upon the ground, as anxious as ever to confess, but, through the opposition of friends, she was again hindered from doing so. But she would not give it up, and the following day was upon the gi-ound again, having traveled in three days forty-eight miles. She was now so importunate that her husband yielded to her wishes, and permitted her to be baptized. I shall never forget the joyful expression of her countenance when she came forward to own the Saviour. After her baptism she went on her way rejoicing, and we all re- joiced with her, so joyous and buoyant was she. We met her afterwards, and observed that she appeared as one that had been condemned to die but had been reprieved. Up to this time, there had not appeared upon the Elder Samuel Rogers. 193 streets of Proctor such a thing as a wagon, carriage, or buggy. There were people around there who had never seen a four-wheeled carriage of any kind. All goods were brought to the town on small crafts, which were cordelled up the river by boatmen, who made a business of drawing boats up or down the river. On my first trip to the mountains, I made the acquain- tance of Brother William Rogers, a superior mountain preacher. He had sown the good seed of the gospel broadcast over a large district of country. He was in- dustrious and frugal, but, having a living family of twen- ty-two children (all by one wife), he could not maintain them and give as much of his time to preaching as the cause demanded. On my return home, I went to Lex- ington, and laid his case before" the State Missionary Board, recommending him as the most suitable man they could employ to labor in his district of the moun- tains. Consequently his services were obtained by them, and I believe, he remained in their employ to the time of his death. We were often together during my labors in the mountains, and I can say with truth that a more agreeable colaborer I never had in my life. We held a successful meeting at Proctor, in a large warehouse which had been fitted up and furnished for the occasion, there being no house of worship in the place at that time. The people came in vast crowds to hear — men, women, children, and even little infants were brought. The last named did not hear much, but, on the contrary, by the concerts which they carried on, they kept a great many from hearing, aside from their mothers. Most of the time I got along bravely ; but, at times,. it seemed to me that every babe in the congregation was squalling, and- that every babe in the whole country was in the bouse. Some of our nervous preachers, had they been there, would have suffered sorely, I fear. These poor mothers were under the necessity either of staying at home, or of bringing the little ones with them. These mothers chose the latter course, and I commended them for it. Under such circumstances, mothers are rather to 9 194 Autobiography of be pitied than blamed. Preachers should cultivate pa- tience in all such cases. The men, with but few excep- tions, were rough-looking fellows, though they behaved with becoming propriety in the house of worship. You might have often seen them coming to meeting with rifles on their shoulders, except on Sundays, especially those who lived at a distance. Upon entering the house, they were in the habit of stacking their arms carefully in one corner, together with hunting-pouck and horn, then seating themselves with an air of composure which indicated that they were now ready for the service. Brother William Rogers, having been reared up among these people, knew exactly how to talk to them. It ex- cited my admiration not a little to observe how apt and ready he was with illustrations, exactly suited to com- mand and rivet attention, and to carry conviction to the mind. On a certain occasion he proceeded to meet the false accusation so commonly and persistently brought against us, that we, as a people, reject the Old Testament Scrip- tures ; and, as near as I can recall his argument, it was as follows : " My friends, you have heard it reported that we reject the Old Testament Scriptures as altogether useless, and I want to show you exactly the use we have for both the Old and the New. A greater mistake could not be made than to say that we have not constant use for the whole book. Indeed, we teach that the Old Testament is the foundation on which the New rests, and that the New Testament would be void had it not been for the Old. The two, to be effective, must be taken in their proper connection together. Sonje of you have brought your rifles with you to-day, which I will use for an illustration in this connection. You see this gun has two sights attached to it. The foremost sight, you see, is a bright bead of silver near the muzzle, or mouth of the rifle. The hindermost sight, you see, is a small piece of steel, with a very small notch in it. This sight is placed near the breech o< the gun, as you see. Now let me ask you. What are the uses of those things we call sights? You answer that they are attached to Elder Samuel Eogees. 195 the rifle to enable us to hit the mark or object at which we aim. la taking aim, you look through the hinder- most sight in such manner as to bring the foremost sight in exact range with the object which you wish to strike. You all can see at once that, if you were to use the fore- sight, without regard to. the other, your shooting would be at random, so that, ninety-nine times out of a hun- dred, you would miss your aim; but when the front sight fills the notch of the hindermost one, and ranges exactly with the mark or object aimed at, you can not miss it if your rifle is good. Now, the Old Testament, with its types, shadows and prophecies, is the hindermost sight. The New Testament, with its exact fulfillment of all the types and prophecies, is the front sight. The object is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners. So that, by looking through the Old Testa- ment on to the New, which is the fulfilment of the Old, we can not fail to see Christ, for the eye will be brought to bear exactly upon Him. You see, then, the use we have for the Old Scriptures, and how it is that neither the Old nor the New can be used to advantage alone." You may think it strange that I listened to this dis- course with divided attention. I was intensely interested in the argument all the way through ; but there was something else that equally claimed my attention. It was to see how those sturdy huntsmen listened. They leaned forward, with eyes, ears and mouth opened wide, as if to see, hear and drink in every word spoken. Such listen- ers are enough to inspire any speaker ; and I may add that such speaking as that will make good listeners of almost any people. The secret of it was, that he talked to the people about things which they understood, and in language suited to their capacity. At the time of his marriage. Elder William Rogers did not know a letter in the alphabet. His wife became his teacher, and, under her instruction, he soon became qualified to read that blessed book which was afterwards his life-time companion. I have heard him speak with much feeling of how much he was indebted to his wife 196 AUTOBIOGBAPHY OF for all that he had been as a preacher of the gospel. By close application he became thoroughly familiar with his Bible, and one of the most successful mountain preachers of the State. He had a fine memory, and held the Scriptures on his tongue's end. He was by nature a man of strong mind, and had a keen sense of propriety. He was humble, really so ; contrasting with the entire class of vain men who, unfortunately, often find their way into the pulpit, to the disgust of all sensible people. There is much meaning in the rough saying, that it is a great thing for any one" to have sense enough to prevent him from making a fool of himself. My dear-old friend and brother had that kind of sense in an eminent degree. I attribute the success of William Rogers mainly to the fact that he accommodated his discourses to the ca- pacity of all his hearers. The aged, middle-aged and young alike listened with profound attention to every word which fell from his lips. To use a huntsman's ex- pression, he never overshot his game. There was a sim- plicity and directness in his discourse that commanded the attention of all who heard him. I have had the privilege of hearing great men and learned men speak, but no man ever interested me more than William Rogers. It must not be understood that, because the mountain people are comparatively poor, they are, therefore, igno- rant. I found in my travels quite a number of persons who were as well informed and, upon all practical ques- tiojDS, as intelligent as the people of the more favored Blue Grass Region. I regret to record the fact that in some places I could find neither Bible nor Testament. I have always been in sympathy with those societies that have for their object the circulation of the Bible, and have been in the habit of contributing something annu- ally to their support. I do not think that the religious world is sufficiently alive to the work of sending the Bible to the poor. If we had the secret history of a single Bible, like that one, for instance, that my mother carried with her to the Territory of New Spain in the year 1801 — how many minds it had enlightened, how Elder Samuel Rogers. 197 many hearts it had cheered, how often it had given strength to withstand trial and temptation — ^I have thought we would have all loved the book more, and be more active in its circulation. And of all the people on earth, I think we, who claim so much for the Bible, ought to be the most active and untiring in securing this much-desired object. We take the Bible, without note or comment, for our creed, and claim that it is enough as to doctrine, correction, reproof, instruction in righteousness, to thoroughly furnish the man of God unto every good work ; and we ought to spare no pains in putting it into the hands of the people. At the close of my Elkhorn mission, the Kentucky Missionary Board called Brother M'^illiam Jarrott and me to labor for a few weeks on the waters of the Ka- nawha and Coal rivers, bordering on the Virginia line. We labored together upon this tour about six weeks, preaching every day, and most of the time twice a day, to good audiences. We found the people anxious to hear the gospel, and many of them ready to obey. The people in that country had heard many ridiculous stories about our people, and were agreeably surprised to find that we really believed Jesus Christ to be a divine person ; that we believed in a change of heart in conversion, and that we taught that every converted man must receive and enjoy the Holy Spirit. We had several successful meet- ings; brought back to the fellowship several wanderers; baptized quite a number, and re-organized two or three scattered congregations. One young man promised to devote himself to the ministry of the Woi'd, who, as I have since learned, has become an able and useful preacher. I believe he was of the name of Miller. In the town of Moscow, all the meeting-houses were closed against us ; so we went to work raising money to build a house for our own people, and succeeded beyond our expectation. So much to the account of a little sectarian bigotry and pi'oscription. Brother Jarrott had been born and reared up to man- hood in this country. Here his kindred and many old 198 Autobiography of friends still lived. He left the land of his nativity when quite young, and before giving any promise of strength or usefulness in the cause of his Master ; now he returns in the prime and strength of his manhood, and burning with zeal to tell to friends and kindred the glad story of salvation through the ns^e of a crucified Redeemer. His early familiarity with iihe habits and manners of the people enabled him to accommodate himself to their un- derstanding very readily, making him quite an able co- worker. His early opportunities for acquiring an educa- tion bad been poor; but having formed in his mind the purpose of becoming a proclaimer of the gospel, he de- voted himself to study for a year or two, and then went into the field and began to practice upon what he had learned, prosecuting his studies as he went, making the Bible his chief text-book, until he became a workman of considerable skill. He waa a man of extraordinary physical frame, and of great muscular power. There was no apparent end to his energy, perseverance and endurance. He was endowed with a pair of powerful lungs, could sing tolerably well, and loud enough to fill any common house. Though e;xhortation was his forte, enabling him at times to carry his hearers almost to sublime bights, yet he was by no means trifling or weak in argument. I have heard him in argumentation deal real sledge-hammer strokes with an unrelenting hand, which were sufficient to break in pieces the idols of false worshipers. William Jarrott had no mercy on error, nor on any who had fellowship with error. He was a man of wai-m heart, of generous and noble impulses. He could weep over the afflictions and misfortunes of men with a flood of tears; but, if you wished to see the tiger aroused from his lair, you had but to pervert the truth, or show a disposition to deal unfairly with his Master. I have learned to love William Jarrott with a brother's love. William, if what I have said should ever come to your sight, you will know what an old sol- dier thinks of you, and it may stimulate you to struggle in your arduous labors. Eldee Samuel Rogees. 199 CHAPTEE XXX. John T. Johnson. — John G. Tompkins. — Great ingathering at Somerset.— Spencer.— Owingsville.— J. P. Clark.— Cynthiana.— My neiglibors. Immediately following the Kanawha mission, I was called to the assistance of Brother John T. Johnson, in holding a series of protracted meetings. As might have been expected, I responded to this call with more than ordinary delight. We had been soldiers together in the war of 1812; had shared the same sufferings and perils, both in the march and on the battle-field, in the service of our country. Our experience had been the same in pursuing the pleasures of the world. We had tasted its joys but to know how fleeting and unsatisfying they were. After embracing the religion of our Saviour, we had wandered alike in the mazes of sectarianism and super- stition, and at times had been almost lost in the smoke of Babylon. By the same light we had been led out of our troubles and doubts, having exchanged visions, dreams and conjectures, for faith in God and trust in His precious promises. We, therefore, congratulated one another upon the privilege of fighting shoulder to shoul- der under the flag of the Prince of Peace, against the errors that had enthralled us, and the enemies that had so long held us in captivity. We held our first series of meetings together in the year 1846. I believe the first meeting was at Mill Creek, in Fleming county, with a young congregation which had been organized recently by William Brown, a man of wonderful power as a revivalist. At the tinie of our meeting, my son, John I. Rogers, was preaching for the congregation. The weather ^as intensely cold, but we continued until abundant success crowned our labors. Our next meeting was at Poplar Plains. This was com- paratively a new field for our people. Midway between 200 AUTOBIOGKAPHY OF Flemingsburg and Poplar Plains was an old Christian church called Brick Union, which had been established by Barton W. Stone at a very early day. The congre- gation was now dissolved, a part of its members going to Flemingsburg, and a part to Poplar Plains. The meeting which Johnson and I held at the Plains added much strength to the little congregation, putting our cause in that region upon a - firm footing. After this we held a meeting at Lawrence Creek, some four miles below Maysville. This meeting resulted gloriously. At these several meetings one hundred souls were added to the church, many drooping souls revived, and several unhappy troubles cured. As an evangelist, I have thought John T. Johnson the best model I have ever known. Perhaps, I ought not to speak of him as a model at all, for no man could imitate him. His style beggars all attempts at descrip- tion. I have read descriptions of him as a preacher, from the pens of those who are masters in the art of composition; but the best of them were tame in com- parison with the real John T. Johnson as you saw and heard him for yourself. Though satisfied of the fact that what I may say of him will fall far short of portraying the man in his true character, yet I must be permitted to drop a few passing thoughts as an humble tribute to his memory. He stood like a lord before the people, and yet no one was awed in his presence, for his dignity was blended with the sweet simplicity of a child. He did not wear the dignity of the world, but it was that of conscious rectitude and goodness. In coming before his audience, he had the appearance of a bold, fearless and defiant champion, every nerve being fully strung and his dark eye flashing fire. A stranger, dropping into the audience in the midst of his discourse, would have been inclined to in- quire the cause of thai strange determination expressed by the look and gesture, as well as by the words, of the speaker. A few moments in close attention, however, would have satisfied the most curious as to the cause. Elder Samuel Eogees. 201" He would have learned that his Lord and Master had been rudely assailed ; that the glorious Gospel of God's Son had been perverted ; and that, as a consequence, sin- ners were perishing for want of the bread of life. He was defending Jesus, his Saviour ; he was earnestly con- tending for the faith once delivered to the saints ; he was pleading for the salvation of souls. Johnson had practiced law during the earlier years of his life, during which time he had often been called upon to plead the cause of the falsely accused before the bar of human judgment ; which accounts for the fact that his style was that of the advocate, rather than that of the preacher. He was constantly pleading, or prose- cuting causes. One very striking characteristic of his preaching was the faculty that he possessed of making everything that he talked about a present reality. In speaking of heaven, you would fancy that he saw every- thing there, and was lifting you up into regions from which you too might have visions of God. In speaking of hell, he seemed to be looking down into the abyss of torment, beholding the miseries and ruin of lost souls, and to be listening to their fruitless cries. _ When dwelling upon the subject of the love of God, his own soul was melted with the celestial flame. If the Chris- tian hope was the theme, his whole being became ex- alted in the contemplation of the meeting of friends and kindred around the throne of God; then, as if look- ing down from the celestial hights, he would exclaim, "Who would not endure a thousand times more than we are called upon to suffer fol- the joy of a meeting and a crown like these?" Then, turning to the sinner, he wouW ask, beseechingly: " O sinner, why will you perish in reach and in sight of such joys? Why not assert your manhood, and come this very hour to the Saviour, and live ? " He was hopeful and buoyant under the most adverse circumstances. In all my- intercourse with him, I do not remember to have heard him utter a word of discouragement more than once. That was at the be- ginning- of a meeting in Flat Bock, Bourbon county. '202 Autobiography of whei-e, upon our arrival, we found about a dozen per- sons in waiting, looking as cold and lifeless as the grave. As we left the house that day, Brother Johnson re- marked, that the beginning was not favorable for a good meeting. Notwithstanding the bad beginning, however, that meeting closed with about seventy-five additions. After the Flat Rock meeting, I was selected to hold a meeting at Somerset Church, Montgomery county, in conjunction with Brother John G. Tompkins, which be- gan with the most discouraging circumstances, and ended with the addition of scores to the church. Brother John G. Tompkins was a brother-in-law to Elder P. S. Fall, having married his sister, a lady of fine culture and ele- gant manners. His career was quite brief, and I may say as brilliant as it was brief. Being a finely educated Virginia gentleman, he was good material to form into a preacher. He was a polished speaker; was systematic almost to a fault; logical, persuasive, and, in the conclu- sion of his discourse, very pathetic. Had his physical constitution been equal to his mental capacity, I doubt not he would have stood to-day in the foremost ranks among the proclaimers of the Old Jerusalem Gospel. As it was, he accomplished very much good. About this time, I was induced to move to Owings- ville, the old home of Brother John Smith. At the beginning of my work the prospects of success were bright and promising, but the coming among us of John P. Clark so completely blasted all our hopes for good that I returned to my old home again in Carlisle. Immediately upon my return to Carlisle, I had a call from the American Christian Missionary Board to evan- gelize in Hamilton county, Ohio, but, not being willing to leave Kentucky at this time, I accepted a call from the congregation at Cynthiana to preach for them once a month, and to make my home in their midst. I beljeve it was in the year 1852 that I removed my family to Cynthiana, and have been perfectly contented with my situation ever since. I bought a little home of William Withers, who, for years afterwards, was my fast friend Elder Samuel Rogbes. 203 and faithful adviser, and whom, if yet living, I would aa confidently approach for a favor as any man on earth. He gave me my own terms, and I may say my own time, in which to pay for my home. I found in and around Cynthiana the most liberal and generous people I have ever known. The aged, middle-aged and the young were alike kind and obliging : not for a few days, or months, or years, but during almost a quarter of a cen- tury their kindness and generosity have been unabated. I have often thanked God that it was my good fortune to fall in with such a people in the evening of life. Thus far it has been a blessed and peaceful evening, leaving out of view the late unholy conflict between the North and the South. And even in the midst of the troubles consequent upon that unnatural conflict, my friends did not forsake me, but were always ready to comfort and succor me in times of deepest distress. Happy is the man who is surrounded with such neighbors and breth- ren as I can boast. In the olden times I had known the fathers and mothers of many of these people, and in moving into their midst they recognized me as their father, and treated me accordingly. If I were not afraid of leaving out some of them, I should like to put them upon the Roll of Honor. I will make the attempt at any rate : the "Witherses, Ashbrooks, Garnets, Smisers, Pattersons, Shawhans, Wards, Nicholses, Smiths, Millers, Williamses, Remingtons, Walls, Northcutts, Fraziers, Wilsons, Talbotts, Vernons, Amermons, and others. I was employed to preach once in each month at In- dicotts, and, as I have stated, I preached once in each month at Cynthiana. For the balance of my time I was employed to preach under the direction of the State Board in the county of Owen. My chief points of ope- ration in the county were Owenton and Liberty, though I distributed my labors over the county generally. I had very marked success at Buck Creek, where I organized a large congregation, which I believe is still flourishing. I reported that year, as the result of my missionary work, about two hundred and fifty additions. 204 Autobiography of It is curious to observe how one, starting out from his native place in early manhood, drifts on arid on through the shifting scenes of life, until, by some un- accountable turn of the tide, he finds himself in his de- clining age at the very place where he was born, and among the friends and in the midst of the scenes of his early youth. Such has been my fortune. I feel like one who, after long and tedious wanderings up and down the earth, has come home to die. And I thank God that He has cast my lot in such pleasant and familiar places in my declining age. A few hours' travel would carry me to the place where, more than three-quarters of a century ago, my father built his first cabin in the wild forests of Kentucky, while my mother and I were safely housed in Strode's Station. Much nearer is the sacred ,spot where my dear lamented wife spent her joyous childhood days. And still nearer stood the cabin where we were made husband and wife, and where I was also married to the Lord Jesus Christ. And yet a little nearer, even in the very neighborhood of my present home, I made my first efforts in preaching. For a number of years I preached once a month at Indian Creek, and once a month at Mount Carmel. A nobler people never lived than they. When too old to labor for them regularly, these churches adopted a reso- lution that, whenever it suited me to visit them, I should understand that I was invited ; and I rejoice to testify that upon every such visit I was well rewarded for my labor. Grassy Spring, in Woodford county, and other churches were alike kind to me in my old age. Among all these people I felt perfectly at home, and they all deported themselves towards me as dear and dutiful children. With such surroundings, it is not strange that I should be content to spend there my remaining days. Elder Samuel Rogers. 205 CHAPTEK XXXI. Last visit to Missouri. Being in my eighty-fourth year, I determined to revisit my friends in Missouri. Leaving Cynthiana the last Monday in April, I arrived in St. Joseph Thursday morn- ing, and experienced a joyful meeting with my son, W. C. Eogers, and his family. This was a long journey for one almost blind and deaf, but I have always found friends to help me along, even in the person of strangers. On the second day of May, I preached at Walnut Grove, five miles out, and had one addition. On Monday morn- ing I went out with my son, and spent the day fishing. On Thursday we went to Stewartsville, and spent two happy weeks with my son Samuel and his family. My next point was Cameron, where I spent a week with my granddaughter, Mrs. Packard. On Lord's day I preached for the congregation there. Tlie last Tuesday in May I returned to St. Joseph, and preached for the brethren the following Lord's day. Here I met Colonel Burton, who informed me that he had traveled forty miles to see me, for the purpose of inducing me to visit him in Effingham, a short distance from Atchison, Kan- sas. On the following Thursday I met my only living brother, General William Rogers, of Platte county. On Lord's day morning I met a large assembly, which had gathered there to hear the oldest pioneer preacher of the State. To speak for the last time to those with whom I had mingled for so many years, made it indeed a solemn occasion. Here I met my brother Acre, formerly of Bour- bon county, Kentucky. He is now quite an acceptable preacher. On the fourth Lord's day in June I preached two discourses at a basket-meeting at Second Creek. Thursday night I preached at Parkville, and on Friday returned to St. Joseph. On Saturday I went to Walnut Grc ve, and held a meeting for one week, sojourning with 206 AUTOBIOGKAPIIY OF Herman Johnston, whom I had brought into the king- dom. On the first Lord's day in July I preached in St. Joseph, and the following week I preached in Atchison, where I enjoyed the company of many old friends. On Thursday I went to Colonel Burton's, and filled my en- gagement with him. Our meeting was a delightful one. Brother Pardee Butler met me here,- and impressed me favorably. At one time I entertained prejudices against him, which I am satisfied were unfounded. He is cer- tainly a good and strong-minded man, and of unblem- ished reputation among his neighbors. Bad men may stand well abroad, but are rarely of good repute at home. On Thursday night I preached at Effingham, and took the confession of a promising young man. On Friday I returned to Atchison, and on Lord's day preached two discourses. My son, "W. C. Eogers, organized this con- gregation some time ago on the old Jerusalem platform. On Tuesday I took the cars for Leavenworth City, where I met many old Kentucky friends. The following evening I started for Columbia, but was detained by ac- cident twenty-four hours in Kansas City, where I met the beloved Mountjoy, who had been baptized when a small boy in Lawrenceburg, Ky., by my son John I. He is now one of Missouri's best preachers. Here I ad- dressed the brethren at their prayer-meeting, and in the morning hurried on to Centralia, and thence to Colum- bia. Here I was met by my dearly beloved Brother Wilkes. In Lexington, Ky., his house had been my home by a standing invitation. Brother and Sister Wilkes used to conduct me to my room, and, after seat- ing me in the big chair, they would say, " Now, Uncle Sam, this is your room, and you must do as you please." So you may imagine that I felt at home again when seated in the midst of this family. On Lord's day, after preaching, I dined at Christian College, which for many years had been presided over with marked ability by the beloved J. K. Rogers, who has become famous as an educator. Here I saw a life- size portrait of Elder Thomas M. Allen, one of Missouri's Elder Samuel Eogees. 207 best pioneer preachers. It was not the likeness before me that crushed my heart as I stood gazing thereon, but it was the recollection of my dear lost boy who, years before, had painted this likeness. I thought of the fatal charge at Augusta, and the mangled corpse of my dear child, the youngest born among my sons. Here let the curtain fall and hide from view forever all but the fact that a nobler, truer heart was never pierced by the ball of an adversary than that which beat in the breast of W. S. Eogers. On Sunday night I delivered an historical discourse, having been requested to give a brief sketch of my life and labors. My motto was II. Tim. iv. 7 : " I have fought a good fight," etc. At the close one confessed faith in Christ, and two united with the church. By special invitation, I visited Missouri University, where I was brought face to face with the likenesses of the former Presidents of the institution, painted by my son, W. S. R. Among them I recognized the beloved Shannon, a great and true Reformer. In his early ministry he was a Presbyterian preacher; but, having been appointed by the Synod of Georgia to deliver a discourse upon the subject of infant sprinkling, after searching his Bible through for proof-texts, and, to his surprise, finding none, he at once laid down his commission at the feet of his brethren, and attached himself to the Baptist church. Subsequently he became acquainted with the views of our people, and advocated with great zeal, until the day of his death, the doctrine of the Bible. From Columbia I went to Miller's Landing, where I preached more than two weeks, on the ground where, in years past, I had achieved for my Master many grand victories. To me this was sacred ground. It was in sight of the graves of my mother, two sisters, and many friends of my youth. Though in my eighty-fourth year, yet, as I stood upon the old battle-ground, I became in feeling young again, and spoke with the strength of my early man- hood. On Tuesday after the third Lord's day in August, the evening of my departure, I addressed my brethren 208 Autobiography. and old friends from Acts xx., a part of Paul's charge to the elders at Ephesus. Having comnjended them to God, antl to the Word of His grace, we all kneeled down and prayed together. Then the farewells were spoken, and we parted with weeping eyes, but not as those who have no hope. From Miller's Landing I went to Grey's Summit, where my nephew, J. J. Woods, was in waiting to con- vey me to his home. On the following day I began a meeting at Pleasant Hill, which was continued for several weeks. On the fourth Lord's day in August I preached in the morning and at night, and witnessed quite a number of confessions. The brethren prevailed on me to remain for a time. We had a happy meeting, and several persons were added to the church. On Monday I started for Kentucky, and, after a brief rest with friends in St. Louis, I arrived in safety at home, having been out three months. This I intended for my last long journey, and certainly it has been the happiest journey of all. I have now well nigh spoken all my farewells on earth, and shall soon begin shaking hands with the loved ones gone before. And, though I know not where those greetings shall end, yet I do know where they will be- gin. I shall greet, first of all, my Father, whose hand has led me all the journey through, and my Saviour, whose grace has been sufficient for me in every day of trial and suffering here. And next, I shall look around for her whose love and goodness have imposed on me a debt of gratitude to God I can never repay. When we meet, shall we not gather up the children and grand- children, and sit down under the shadow of the throne and rest? ■^<^ w i l iigi ^ ■'T*-*^ —';